The Kerala Story 2 tickets remain available online despite Kerala High Court stay on release, leaving viewers confused

Just hours before its scheduled release, Hindi film The Kerala Story 2 hit a legal roadblock after the Kerala High Court stayed its release for 15 days on Thursday. The film, already mired in controversy over its portrayal of alleged forced religious conversions in Kerala, has challenged the stay order. Late Thursday night, the High Court agreed to hear the producers’ appeal, offering a glimmer of hope that the release could still go ahead.

Tickets still on sale despite stay

The situation has led to confusion among cinema chains and ticketing platforms. Major multiplex chains such as PVR Cinemas, INOX Leisure Limited, and Cinepolis India are not listing shows for the film. However, as of Friday morning, tickets were still available on platforms like BookMyShow and District.

On BookMyShow, screenings were open for booking across several Maxus Cinemas properties in Mumbai, with 21 theatres in the city reportedly selling tickets. In Delhi, 14 theatres — including M2K, G3S, and MSX Cinemas — continued to list shows scheduled for Friday.

Some cinema operators acknowledged the uncertainty. Damodar Cinemas issued a statement on X saying the film was “currently on hold due to legal matters in India” and advised patrons to await updates.

Yet, early Friday morning, M2K Cinemas posted that the film had released in theatres, triggering confusion online. Social media users questioned whether the stay order had been lifted and how tickets were still being sold despite the court directive.

Why the release was stayed

The Kerala High Court, while staying the release, observed that there was prima facie “manifest non-application of mind” by the Central Board of Film Certification in clearing the film. The court further noted that the movie could potentially cause communal disharmony or denigrate a community, and that releasing it without further scrutiny by higher authorities would be legally improper.

Directed by Kamakhya Narayan Singh and produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah, The Kerala Story 2 stars Ulka Gupta, Aditi Bhatia, and Aishwarya Ojha. The filmmakers have yet to issue an official statement following the stay order.