Siddhi Idnani, portraying the character of Geetanjali Menon, a Hindu girl in The Kerala Story, is among the three girls who initially convert to Islam but later realize the deception and return to practicing their own religion. In response to the ongoing controversies surrounding the film, Idnani discusses how she is handling the diverse feedback from the viewers.
Idnani, who made her debut with the Sudipto Sen directorial, expresses that “This isn’t a film that will be universally liked or enjoyed, or anything of that sort. Regarding the audience’s perception, I believe that when we agreed to be part of this film, we were aware that it would impact certain individuals. However, as long as we, the core team, understand the film’s intentions, if it reaches the right audience and serves those who need it, I believe that was the only validation we sought.”
Upon watching The Kerala Story for the first time, Idnani candidly reveals feeling deeply saddened. She explains, “When you watch your own film, you approach it from a professional perspective. However, as the testimonials emerged towards the end of the film and the parents of the victims began speaking, it truly shattered my heart. I had no intention of shedding tears, but by the conclusion of the film, I found myself weeping.”
When asked about her parents’ reactions to watching the film, Idnani discloses that it was an equally challenging moment. “They couldn’t look me in the eye because their emotions weighed heavily on them. After the film ended, my mom expressed gratitude to Sudipto sir. She said, ‘I had no idea that this was happening.’ There was also a sense of pride in them, knowing that this was not an easy subject to tackle. Especially since it was my debut in a particular language, they believed it was courageous to seize this opportunity, despite the potential consequences,” she shares.
Interestingly, Idnani did not immediately agree to be a part of the film. She reveals, “I took my time to contemplate before accepting the movie because it was a delicate situation. Numerous questions began to arise in my mind. However, there is a human instinct within all of us, a gut feeling, that urged me to go ahead and do it.”
