The 71st National Awards were announced on Friday, August 1, 2025, and The Kerala Story was among the big winners for Bollywood at this year's awards. The film directed by Sudipto Sen went on to win two awards for Best Director and Best Cinematography. While the team behind the film celebrated, the victory has now taken a political turn and sparked a controversy with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan slamming the jury.

Kerala CM slams The Kerala Story win

The controversial film based on religious conversions in the state of Kerala was condemened by CM Vijayan and his party back when it was originally released in 2023. After the Awards were announced on Friday, the CM once again strongly opposed the film. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), he alleged that the move "lent credibility" to a narrative rooted in the "divisive" ideology of the Sangh Parivar.

By honouring a film that spreads blatant misinformation with the clear intent of tarnishing Kerala’s image and sowing seeds of communal hatred, the jury of the #NationalFilmAwards has lent legitimacy to a narrative rooted in the divisive ideology of the Sangh Parivar. Kerala, a…