Ulka Gupta and Aditi Bhatia to play the lead in The Kerala Story 2

Actors Ulka Gupta and Aditi Bhatia will headline Beyond The Kerala Story, the sequel to the 2023 film The Kerala Story. The Kerala Story, directed by Sudipto Sen and produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah, revolved around the alleged forced religious conversion of women from Kerala and their radicalisation. Released in May 2023, the film sparked nationwide political and social debate, drew sharp criticism for its claims, and simultaneously emerged as one of the year’s biggest box-office successes.While specific plot details remain under wraps, the film is said to follow a new set of characters while retaining the socio-political tone that defined its predecessor.Ulka Gupta, who rose to prominence as a child actor with Jhansi Ki Rani, has since built a steady body of work across television and films. She has featured in shows such as Devon Ke Dev…Mahadev, Banni Chow Home Delivery and Dhruv Tara – Samay Sadi Se Pare, and has also appeared in films including Rudhramadevi, Traffic and Simmba. Aditi Bhatia, meanwhile, is best known for her long-running role as Ruhi Bhalla in Yeh Hai Mohabbatein. She began her career as a child actor with films like Vivah and Shootout at Lokhandwala, before transitioning to television and establishing herself as a familiar face on the small screen.We reached out to Ulka, Aditi, and Vipul for a comment but didn't hear from them before press.The Kerala Story is a Hindi-language film directed by Sudipto Sen and starring Adah Sharma, based on controversial claims about women from Kerala being radicalised and recruited by extremist groups. Marketed as a “true story,” it sparked intense political debate, criticism, and discussion around representation, accuracy, and intent.