Thiruvananthapuram | Alleging that there was an "unofficial" ban on releasing the movie 'The Kerala Story', BJP state president K Surendran on Friday said if theatre owners restrict screening movies that they do not like, then it would affect the film industry.

He also alleged that the Congress, Left party and some religious fundamentalist organisations were threatening those who came to watch the movie.

Various youth outfits in Kerala staged demonstrations against the screening of the controversial multi-lingual movie, which hit theatres across the country today.

According to reports, many theatres did not exhibit the film in the southern state.

Condemning this, Surendran said the "unofficial" ban on 'The Kerala Story' should be withdrawn.

"If theatre owners take a stand that they will not screen movies they do not like, that will not help the film industry. The Congress, the CPI(M) and some religious fundementalists are threatening those who are coming to watch the movie. Kerala is now witnessing the double standards of those who normally raise their voice for freedom of artistic expression," Surendran said.

Activists of the Nationalist Youth Congress (NYC), the youth wing of the Nationalist Congress Party, and the Fraternity Movement staged a protest in front of a local theatre in Kochi, where the film was released.

A group of activists of the Fraternity Movement, including women, marched to the theatre in Kochi, alleging that the movie was a bundle of lies and was part of the Sangh Parivar's divisive agenda.

The movie, starring Adah Sharma and written and directed by Sudipto Sen, was screened in theatres across the State today.

The Kerala High Court today refused to stay the release of the film, stating that the movie trailer does not contain anything offensive to any particular community as a whole. The court said the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has examined the movie and found that it is suitable for public exhibition.

According to the ruling CPI(M) and opposition Congress in Kerala, the film falsely claims that 32,000 women got converted and radicalised and were deployed in terror missions both in India and around the world.