The Kerala Story 2, produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah, continues its theatrical run amid sustained public debate and scrutiny. The film, which released in India last week following a legal battle, recorded a dip in collections on its fifth day, according to trade tracking portal Sacnilk.
As per early estimates, the film collected ₹3.5 crore nett in India on day five (Wednesday). With this, its total domestic box office earnings stand at approximately ₹19.4 crore nett.
The sequel opened to ₹4.65 crore on day one and saw a slight jump on day two with ₹4.75 crore. Collections dropped to ₹2.5 crore on day three before rebounding to ₹4 crore on day four. However, midweek numbers reflected a modest decline once again. On its fifth day, the film had 3,019 shows across India and registered an overall occupancy of 13.1%.
In comparison, the first installment, The Kerala Story, earned ₹11.14 crore on its fifth day, according to film trade analyst Taran Adarsh. Directed by Sudipto Sen, the original film released in 2023 and generated strong box office momentum despite widespread controversy and polarised reactions.
Much like its predecessor, The Kerala Story 2 faced significant backlash even before its release. The trailer triggered heated discussions across social media platforms. While critics labeled the film “propaganda,” supporters argued that it addresses serious issues based on documented accounts. The makers have consistently maintained that the story draws from researched real-life incidents and aims to shed light on broader societal concerns.
The sequel’s theatrical release was temporarily stalled due to legal challenges. However, the Kerala High Court later cleared the way for its nationwide debut. A Division Bench comprising Justices SA Dharmadhikari and PV Balakrishnan stayed an interim order issued by Single Bench Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas, which had halted the release for 15 days. After the stay was lifted, the film was able to hit cinemas across the country.
Directed by Kamakhya Narayan Singh, the sequel follows the lives of three young women who enter what the film portrays as deceptive marriages and subsequently face alleged forced religious conversions. Expanding beyond Kerala, the narrative suggests that similar patterns may exist in other parts of India, broadening the scope established in the first film.
The cast includes Sumit Gahlawat, Ulka Gupta, Aditi Bhatia, Aishwarya Ojha, Arjan Singh Aujla and Yuktam Kholsa in key roles.
Recently, speaking to Press Trust of India (PTI), Vipul Amrutlal Shah addressed speculation regarding a potential third installment in the franchise. He clarified that even a sequel was not initially planned.
“There was no plan to make even Kerala Story 2,” Shah said. “But after Kerala Story 1, we started getting lots of stories. I realised that there is a much larger evil persisting not just in Kerala but across the country, and we have to tell this story because it is much bigger and different than what happened in Kerala Story 1.”
Shah emphasized that the sequel was not conceived as a marketing move. “It was not like a marketing gimmick that, ‘Let’s make part two, it’s a good brand, let’s take it forward.’ No, nothing like that,” he stated.
When asked about a third part, Shah said there are currently no concrete plans. However, he did not completely rule out the possibility. “If there are compelling stories coming our way, some new facts will come to light, maybe we will want to tell that story. But as of today, there is no plan,” he added.
With fluctuating box office numbers and ongoing public discourse, The Kerala Story 2 remains one of the most talked-about releases of the week. Whether it will replicate or surpass the impact of the original film will become clearer as its theatrical run continues.