By Rootsalert News Desk| 21-February-2026
From debunked statistics to the viral ‘Beef-Porotta’ backlash, here is why the sequel is facing an even bigger credibility crisis than the original.
The controversial cinematic saga that polarized a nation is back, and this time, it is looking for trouble far beyond the borders of God’s Own Country. The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond, directed by Kamakhya Narayan Singh, is slated for release on February 27, 2026. But while the filmmakers claim they are “unearthing hidden truths,” a growing chorus of historians, fact-checkers, and political leaders are labeling the project as a high-budget factory of misinformation.
The “25-Year” Myth and Statistical Stretching
The trailer opens with a bone-chilling claim: India will become an Islamic State under Sharia law within the next 25 years. This “demographic threat” narrative has been widely dismissed by sociologists as a classic fear-mongering trope.
Just like its predecessor—which famously had to retract its claim of 32,000 women joining ISIS to just three in court—the sequel is accused of using isolated police cases to paint a broad, systemic conspiracy. Critics argue that by framing personal tragedies as a national “security threat,” the film manipulates the audience’s emotions rather than providing factual context.
The Beef-Porotta Backlash: Cultural Illiteracy or Deliberate Provocation?
Nothing has damaged the film’s credibility more than a specific scene in the trailer depicting a woman being “force-fed beef” as a sign of her religious conversion.
In a rare moment of unity, Malayalis of all faiths took to social media to mock the scene. In Kerala, beef is a staple enjoyed by Hindus, Christians, and Muslims alike. The hashtag #TheRealKeralaStory trended globally, featuring pictures of communal tables and jokes about the filmmakers’ lack of research. “If you want to show a ‘forced’ conversion in Kerala, maybe don’t use the state’s favorite breakfast as a weapon of terror,” one viral tweet read.
Political Weaponization
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor have both issued stern warnings against the film. Vijayan described the sequel as a “poisonous work” intended to destroy the secular fabric of the state, while Tharoor labeled the franchise “hate-mongering” cinema.
“It is shocking how fabricated narratives aimed at inciting communal discord receive a free pass,” Vijayan stated, questioning how the Censor Board cleared a film that stigmatizes an entire state’s population.
Verdict: Fact or Propaganda?
While the makers insist the film is based on “15 to 20 actual incidents,” the framing of the narrative suggests otherwise. By focusing on Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Kerala through a singular lens of “Love Jihad”—a term the Indian Home Ministry does not legally recognize—the film appears less like a documentary and more like a tool for communal polarization.
