‘The Kerala Story’ becomes 2nd biggest Hindi film of 2023, after SRK’s Pathaan

New Delhi: The Kerala Story is unstoppable and is having a dream run at the Box Office. The movie, engulfed in controversy since release, is going strong in multiplexes & theatres towards the end of second week of release.

Adah Sharma starrer ‘The Kerala’ has become the second highest grosser of Hindi cinema in 2023. With more than Rs 150 crores in its kitty, the movie is just behind Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan which amassed a record Rs 1,000 crores & rewrote the BO records.

The movie with a small star cast has left behind big blockbusters of the year including the likes of Ranbir Kapoor’s Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar and Salman’s Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi KI Jaan.

TOP 5
1. #Pathaan
2. #TheKeralaStory
3. #TuJhoothiMainMakkaar
4. #KisiKaBhaiKisiKiJaan
5. #Bholaa
NOTE: Data as on 17 May 2023. #India biz. #Hindi films. 2023 releases. Nett BOC. pic.twitter.com/1YLBeiFiOS

— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) May 17, 2023

The movie had a modest opening but the footfalls peaked during the first weekend and has been on constant upsurge. On Tuesday, the movie saw a slight dip but managed to garner near Rs 10 crore in earnings.

On Day 12 of its release, the movie has garnered a total collection of Rs 156.69 crores.

Widely acclaimed trade analyst Taran Adarsh took to Twitter and declared The Kerala Story as the second highest grosser of Hindi film industry, just behind SRK’s Pathaan.

#TheKeralaStory is now the SECOND HIGHEST GROSSING #Hindi film of 2023… Overtakes #TJMM and #KBKJ to claim the second spot… [Week 2] Fri 12.35 cr, Sat 19.50 cr, Sun 23.75 cr, Mon 10.30 cr, Tue 9.65 cr. Total: ₹ 156.69 cr. #India biz. #Boxoffice pic.twitter.com/Ixwggms6QM

— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) May 17, 2023

Besides minting money, the movie has created deep divide along political lines. The movie got severely rebuked by some governments including West Bengal & Tamil Nadu while earned support from right wing organizations & people, as is evident in terms of numbers.

The movie, released in theatres on May 5, is based on indoctrination of young Hindu & Christian girls in Kerala, their conversion to Islam & their engagement with terrorist outfit like ISIS in Syria. The movie showcases the forced conversion of Hindu girls and then their enslavement by ISIS terrorists in countries like Syria.

The controversy on movie centered on its claim that at least 32,000 girls from Kerala were forcefully converted to Islam & then employed by ISIS, a claim fiercely contested by many Muslim leaders. The issue also got dragged in court as movie trailer clearly said that 32,000 were forcefully converted, though with a disclaimer that it was just a dramatized version of events and the filmmakers can’t vouch for its accuracy or authenticity.

The Kashmir Files director Vivek Agnihotri had a piece of advice for The Kerala Story makers. He said that your lives ‘won’t be the same’ after the movie as he himself came under attack from multiple quarters for ‘depicting the truth’.