Veteran actor Ranjini, best known for her roles in Malayalam classics like Chithram, Mukunthetta Sumitra Vilikkunnu, and Kottayam Kunjachan, has strongly criticised the National Film Awards jury for honouring The Kerala Story. Reacting to the highly controversial film's two wins for Best Direction and Best Cinematography at the 71st National Film Awards, Ranjini posted on social media: “Fake story gets 2 National Film awards marring the purity of the highest awards for artistic and technical merit given for excellence within the Indian film industry. What a shame”
Her remarks come in the wake of widespread backlash against the jury’s decision. Earlier, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had also condemned the recognition, calling it a “grave insult” and accusing the jury of lending “legitimacy to a narrative rooted in the divisive ideology of the Sangh Parivar”.
The Kerala Story, directed by Sudipto Sen, follows a group of Malayali women allegedly coerced into joining the Islamic State. The film faced severe criticism for promoting misinformation and communal narratives, especially after its promotional claims that thousands of women from Kerala were recruited by ISIS were proven false. Disclaimers were later added by the makers to state that it was a fictionalised depiction. Despite largely negative reviews, the film reportedly grossed over Rs 300 crore at the box office.
This is not the first time Ranjini has objected to the film. In 2023, just before its theatrical release, she had shared a strongly worded post criticising the makers for presenting fiction as fact. Calling religion “a sensitive topic for discussion or visualisation,” she said she was “appalled at the filmmakers for claiming a tall-story as a fact.” She further accused them of misusing freedom of expression and questioned their intentions: “Why are you dragging a State for your misrepresentation?” Urging the team to reconsider the title, she wrote, “As a Keralite, I urge you to refrain from using ‘Kerala’ as your title and re-phrase your claim as ‘an inspired story’ instead of ‘uncovering the truth’.” Highlighting the state’s achievements, she reminded them that “Kerala is the only State in India that has the highest literacy rate” and is recognised for “The Kerala model” that other states have followed.
