The box office success of Sudipto Sen's The Kerala Story shows no signs of slowing down, with the film continuing to draw audiences and rake in money. Starring Adah Sharma, the movie has garnered positive word-of-mouth and has become a blockbuster hit, crossing the Rs 100-crore mark within just 9 days of its theatrical release. The Kerala Story has cemented its place as the second highest-grossing Hindi film of 2023, despite being embroiled in multiple controversies.
The Hindi-speaking market has contributed significantly to the film's success, with a healthy occupancy rate of 25.77%. Despite controversies surrounding the film's release, 'The Kerala Story' has managed to impress audiences with its intriguing storyline. On the opening day, the film earned a whopping Rs 8 crore, making it the fifth-highest-grossing Hindi film of 2023 after 'Pathaan'.
'The Kerala Story' depicts how women from Kerala were forced to convert to Islam and recruited by the terror group Islamic State (IS).
On the day of the film's release, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had credited the movie for bringing out terror conspiracies and used it to attack the Congress during an election rally in Karnataka.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee ordered an immediate ban on the screening of the controversial film in the state to avoid any incident of hatred and violence. Multiplexes across Tamil Nadu cancelled screenings of 'The Kerala Story', citing law and order issues and poor public response.