The events of the film “Kerala Story” take place in the state of Kerala in southern India and deal with the lives of 3 women who adopt an extremist ideology and are sent to IS camps.
Figures compiled and posted on Twitter by analyst Taran Adarsh showed the film starring a relatively unknown actor has grossed over 450 million rupees ($5.50 million) in ticket sales since then. its theatrical release on Friday, a rarity in the world of Indian cinema.
“The box office is tough these days, but ‘Kerala Story’ defies convention with its box office success,” film producer and analyst Girish Johar said in an interview.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has praised the film, directed by Sudeep Tosen, saying it highlights the consequences of terrorism.
The states of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, both ruled by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, exempted the film from state taxes, which made tickets cheaper.
But critics say the film stirs up negative feelings towards the country’s Muslim minority.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee banned the film from being shown in the state “to avoid any incidents of hate or violence”, describing it as a “distorted story”.
But the Kerala High Court refused to ban the film in the state where it is set, saying it was “based on true events”.
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