The Kerala Story 2, helmed by Kamakhya Narayan Singh, stirred controversy within minutes of its trailer release. While some politicians and filmmakers labelled it propaganda and accused it of disturbing Kerala’s social harmony, others took particular offence to a scene involving forced beef consumption. In an exclusive conversation with mid-day, Ulka Gupta, who plays Surekha in the film, opened up about the backlash, the hate flooding her DMs, and how she reacted to sharp reactions from Anurag Kashyap and Prakash Raj.

Ulka Gupta on preparing for her role

Calling the film a long-awaited opportunity, Ulka shared that the role felt like something she had manifested for years. She felt deeply connected not just to her character but to the emotional fabric of the story. She also revealed that she admires Adah Sharma’s work, which served as quiet inspiration while shaping her own performance.