High court issues notice to producer Vipul Shah over Kerala Story 2 title row

The Kerala High Court has issued notice before admission to producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah in a plea against Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond. The court questioned whether the challenge survives after release, while the petitioner pointed to the film's OTT run and wider circulation.

In Short

• Producer Vipul Shah has been summoned by the Kerala High Court
• The summon was in connection with a lawsuit against Kerala Story 2
• The petitioner had objected to the use of the word Kerala in the film's title

The Kerala High Court on Thursday, June 18, sent an urgent legal notice to producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah following a new plea against Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond. The lawsuit challenges the film's certification and demands the removal of the word 'Kerala' from its official title.

During the hearing, Justice PV Kunhikrishnan questioned whether the lawsuit even mattered anymore, emphasising that the film is already out and has been watched by a large audience, as reported by Live Law. However, the petitioner's lawyer, Chelson Chembarathy, pushed back, highlighting that the fight is still crucial given the film's upcoming digital release. Meanwhile, when the Censor Board argued that the petition should be thrown out entirely, the court decided to put that debate on hold until the final hearing.

The film finally hit theatres on February 27 after a higher court stepped in to overturn an earlier temporary ban on its release. While those initial legal challenges were eventually thrown out, the High Court wrapped up the remaining loose ends last week by officially dismissing the final appeals from both the Central Government and the producer, declaring them no longer relevant.

Both the Union Government and the CBFC had launched appeals after a single judge ruled that the petitioners had a legitimate right to fight the film's release in court. Although the higher bench threw out those appeals, it left a massive legal window open. The court chose not to rule on the bigger question of whether private interest lawsuits can legally challenge a film's official certification on the grounds that it damages a State's reputation.

During an earlier court session, producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah’s counsel strongly defended the project, stating the lawsuit "must be condemned." Despite this, the current plea targets the filmmaker under Sections 196, 197, and 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The petition alleges that the film violates these laws by stirring up conflict between different religious or regional communities, damaging national integration, and intentionally insulting religious beliefs to outrage public harmony.

Because the film landed on streaming on May 1, a fresh petition seeks to officially involve Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited in the ongoing lawsuit. The petitioner has brought forward extra evidence, including a formal complaint emailed to the Content Grievance Redressal Officer of Zee Entertainment and a batch of social media screenshots. The plea alleges that these online clips are treating the film's events as absolute truth, actively promoting hate speech against Keralites and minorities.

With the High Court summoning the producer, the dispute over Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond enters its next big phase. The legal challenge will now dissect the film on all fronts, targeting its title, censor clearance, streaming debut, and newly submitted online evidence.

Directed by Kamakhya Narayan Singh and backed by Vipul Amrutlal Shah and Sunshine Pictures, Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond centres on three girls, played by Ulka Gupta, Aditi Bhatia, and Aishwarya Ojha.

Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond theatrically released on February 27, 2026.

- Ends