'The Kerala Story' controversy and why the film is in Supreme Court: 10 points

"The Kerala Story" features Adah Sharma, Yogita Bihani, Sonia Balani, and Siddhi Idnani. (Image credit: @adah_sharma/Twitter)

The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to entertain petitions related to Hindi film "The Kerala Story” which has received criticism from Kerala’s ruling Left front and the Congress. The film is set to be released on Friday. The top court asked the petitioners to approach Kerala High Court, and said it can consider their request for early disposal of their pleas.

Here are 10 things to know about "The Kerala Story" row:

• "The Kerala Story” is about a group of women from the state who converted to Islam and joined ISIS. According to its makers, it reveals the events behind "approximately 32,000 women" allegedly going missing from Kerala.
• The film, written and directed by Sudipto Sen, features Adah Sharma, Yogita Bihani, Sonia Balani, and Siddhi Idnani.
• The CPI(M) and the Congress in Keralasay the film falsely claims that the women converted to Islam, got radicalised and were deployed in terror missions in India and the world.
• Among the petitioners in the Supreme Court is Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind which requested the top court to stay the film’s release, contending that it “demeans the entire Muslim community”, Bar and Bench reported.
• The Muslim body also sought that a disclaimer should be added to the title of the film that it is a work of fiction.
• Congress MP from Kerala, Shashi Tharoor, slammed the makers of “The Kerala Story”, accusing them of indulging in "gross exaggeration" and "distortion" of the state's reality.
• “The Kerala Story” producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah said the film is a true story and every scene in the film is true, but it deals with three girls.
• Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan slammed the makers of the film, saying they were taking up the Sangh Parivar propaganda of projecting the state as a centre of religious extremism by raising the issue of "love jihad" -- a concept rejected by courts, probe agencies and the Home Ministry.
• Kerala BJP chief K Surendran said the Chief Minister and CPI(M) leaders, acting as "apostles of expression", are saying that the film should not be screened.
• Sudipto Sen has directed “Aasma”, “Lucknow Times” and “The Last Monk”.