The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond is the sequel to the 2023 controversial hit. It stars Ulka Gupta, Aditi Bhatia, Aishwarya Ojha, and others. Directed by Kamakhya Narayan Singh and produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah under Sunshine Pictures, the film released in theatres on February 27, 2026. It faced major legal issues (Kerala High Court stay, later lifted) and mixed-to-negative reviews. The story continues themes of love, religion, conversion, and social drama, with a runtime of about 131 minutes and UA16+ certificate for intense content.
Budget The film was made on a budget of around ₹28-30 crore (including promotion costs). Reports from Koimoi, Sacnilk, Wikipedia, and trade sources mostly peg it at ₹28 crore to ₹30 crore. This is higher than the first film’s low budget (~₹15 crore), but still controlled for a mid-range Hindi drama without big stars.
Box Office Collection Till Now (as of March 7, 2026 – around Day 9-10) The film had a slow and steady run, with low opening due to controversies, but some recovery from holiday boosts (Holi) and word-of-mouth in certain circles. Latest figures vary slightly across trackers (Sacnilk, Koimoi, Bollywood Hungama, Wikipedia), but here’s the consistent picture:
- India Net: Around ₹25-25.67 crore (Sacnilk ~₹25.67 Cr after Day 9; Koimoi ~₹25.4 Cr net).
- India Gross: Around ₹30 crore (Sacnilk ~₹30 Cr gross; Koimoi ~₹29.97 Cr gross).
- Overseas Gross: Almost ₹0 (very minimal, often reported as negligible or zero in most updates).
- Worldwide Gross: Around ₹30 crore (Sacnilk ~₹30 Cr; some estimates up to ₹30-31 Cr).
Day-Wise Highlights (early estimates from Sacnilk/Koimoi):
- Day 1 (Fri): ₹0.75 Cr (limited shows due to legal drama).
- Day 2 (Sat): ₹4.65 Cr (big jump after release cleared).
- Day 3 (Sun): ₹4.75 Cr.
- Day 4 (Mon): ₹2.5 Cr (drop).
- Day 5 (Tue): ₹4 Cr (Holi boost).
- Day 6 (Wed): ₹3.5 Cr.
- Day 7 (Thu): ₹2.19-2.75 Cr (steady hold).
- Day 8-9: Around ₹2.5 Cr each (slow but consistent).
Budget Recovery & Verdict Outlook
- Recovered about 80-90% of budget so far (Koimoi: 90.71% on Day 8; needs ₹2.6-5 Cr more to fully recover).
- With low daily additions now, lifetime likely ₹28-35 Cr net India (possible safe zone/plus verdict if it crosses ₹28 Cr net).
- Not a blockbuster – far below part 1’s ₹242 Cr net India / ₹300+ Cr worldwide.
- Verdict: Likely average to plus (decent recovery for mid-budget, but no big profit).
Reviews & Audience Buzz Mixed to negative – praise for acting (Ulka Gupta, Aditi Bhatia) and bold topic, but criticism for feeling like “old rumours” or less depth/outrage without strong execution. Occupancy low (9-14% weekdays), appeal limited to specific audience interested in the theme. No major overseas pull.
Nuances & Edge Cases
- Budget Angle: Low cost helps – even modest collections make it profitable vs. high-budget flops.
- Controversy Impact: Legal fights and debates gave free publicity but hurt broad appeal and shows in some areas.
- Comparison: Part 1 exploded due to buzz; this one struggled with no star power and divided opinions.
- Implications: OTT (likely ZEE5 soon) could boost views for the topic, but theatrical was limited. Sensitive themes (religion/conversion) make it heavy – not for everyone; some see it as one-sided.
The film is in final theatrical phase – small additions possible. Share if you’ve watched or what you think of its run! Stay tuned for updates. 🔥 #TheKeralaStory2 #BoxOffice #VipulShah
