Ram Gopal Varma’s Unpopular Opinion: The Kerala Story Praised. In a recent interview with Galatta Plus, renowned filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma shared his admiration for the 2023 film The Kerala Story. Unlike actors Kamal Haasan and Naseeruddin Shah, who criticized the film, Varma praised it as “one of the best films” he has seen in many years.
The Film’s Controversial Plot
The Kerala Story, starring Adah Sharma, tells the story of a group of women from Kerala who were allegedly forced to convert to Islam and join ISIS. Directed by Sudipto Sen and produced by Vipul Shah, the film sparked significant controversy for its portrayal of sensitive issues, with many accusing it of promoting divisive agendas.
Commercial Success vs. Critical Backlash: Despite the backlash, The Kerala Story achieved remarkable commercial success, grossing over ₹300 crore worldwide. Varma highlighted this success in his interview, contrasting it with the fate of another film by the same team, Bastar: The Naxal Story, which failed to garner attention. He expressed his surprise and disappointment at the lack of recognition for Bastar, despite the effort put into its creation.
The Unpredictable Nature of Filmmaking
Varma drew parallels between his own experiences in the film industry and the unpredictable nature of audience reception. He recounted a conversation with music composer AR Rahman, who once told him that predicting the success of a creative work is nearly impossible. Rahman mentioned that sometimes, despite his best efforts, his compositions go unnoticed. Varma echoed this sentiment, stating that his own hit films were often accidental successes, while his flops were the result of deliberate effort.
Varma’s Reflections on The Kerala Story
Ram Gopal Varma’s Unpopular Opinion: Reflecting on The Kerala Story, Varma said, “I was very, very happy with this film. It’s one of the best films I’ve seen in many years. I spoke to the director, the producer, and the actress. Then, I was shocked to know that the next film came, released, and went, and I wasn’t even aware of it… it comes and everyone ignores it… how do you explain it?”
The success of The Kerala Story and the contrasting failure of Bastar: The Naxal Story underscore the unpredictable nature of the film industry.