New Delhi: The Kerala high court on Thursday (February 26) has stayed the release of the controversial film The Kerala Story 2, a day before it was lated to hit theatres. The court said that the content in the teaser itself has the “prima facie potential to distort public perception and disturb communal harmony”.Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas passed the interim order saying that prima facie there was an absence of application of mind by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) while granting certification.The interim order came after the court heard petitions filed by Sreedev Namboothiri of Kannur and others challenging the certification granted by the CBFC for the release of the film. The petitioners underlined that the movie misrepresented the southern state and its release could incite communal disharmony.“The very content in the teaser itself, which is conceded to be part of the movie, has the prima facie potential to distort public perception and disturb communal harmony,” Justice Thomas said in his order, Live Law reported.He added: “Dissemination of content which has a tendency to create discord, disturb law and order, even undermine social harmony cannot come within the gamut of freedom of speech and expression enshrined in Article 19(1)(a) of the constitution of India.”Also read: How Hindi Cinema is Preparing India for ViolenceJustice Thomas directed the CBFC to consider the revision petitions filed by the petitioners before the board within a period of two weeks. The movie shall not be released until the CBFC passes fresh orders, the court observed.During the previous hearing, the court had made it clear that until it heard all parties, the film’s release may be put on hold.“Kerala lives in total harmony. But you have portrayed that this is happening all over Kerala. There is a wrong indication and can also incite passion,” the high court had remarked on Tuesday (February 24).Meanwhile, a press conference held in Delhi on Monday (February 23) to promote the film saw heated exchange between the film’s producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah, director Kamakhya Narayan Singh and journalists. Notably, the filmmakers introduced 30 women during the event claiming they had allegedly experienced forced religious conversions but none of them were from Kerala.What began as a routine promotional event escalated when members of the media alleged that the film “insults” Kerala and questioned why there were no “Malayali victims” present on stage. The filmmakers claimed that they were showing a “pan India” story and it was neither political nor related to Kerala polls.