With Budget of Just Rs 15 crore, “The Kerala Story” Wins National Award After Rs 240 Crore Box Office Run
With Budget of Just Rs 15 crore, "The Kerala Story" Wins National Award After Rs 240 Crore Box Office Run
A low-budget crime thriller that stirred political debate now earns acclaim for Best Cinematography at the 71st National Film Awards
Sudipto Sen’s controversial yet commercially successful film The Kerala Story has bagged the National Award for Best Cinematography at the 71st National Film Awards. Produced by Vipul Amritlal Shah and made on a modest budget of just Rs 15 crore, the 144-minute film earned over Rs 240 crore in India alone and collected Rs 302 crore worldwide, according to Sacnilk.
Starring Adah Sharma in the lead role, the film unfolds the disturbing narrative of alleged forced religious conversions in Kerala and subsequent recruitment of young women into ISIS. The story follows a Hindu nursing student who, after enrolling in a college in Kerala, becomes entangled with radicalised roommates, one of whom is married off to a terrorist from the Islamic State.
Released in 2023, the film quickly became one of the year’s most talked-about titles—not just for its box office numbers, but also for the political firestorm it ignited. While it faced significant backlash and criticism from many quarters, audiences flocked to cinemas, turning it into a blockbuster.
Now available for streaming on Zee5, The Kerala Story holds an IMDb rating of 6.8 and continues to find viewers intrigued by its powerful and provocative storyline. Its National Award win now adds critical recognition to its commercial triumph.
