Brief by Shorts91 NewsDesk / 05:09pm on 01 Aug 2025,Friday Entertainment
The Kerala Story, directed by Sudipto Sen and produced by Vipul Shah, won Best Director and Best Cinematography at the 71st National Film Awards despite intense controversy. The film, which portrays the radicalization and recruitment of Kerala women by ISIS, was banned in West Bengal and faced protests in Tamil Nadu, while receiving tax-free status in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Madhya Pradesh. Jury chair Ashutosh Gowariker defended the awards, praising the film’s stark, realistic cinematography and Sen’s clarity in handling a difficult subject. Gowariker emphasized that the jury unanimously recognized the film’s technical and narrative merits, regardless of its polarizing reception and political overtones. (PC: Airtel Xstream)
