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National-level shooter Tara Shahdeo has spoken out about her 2014 marriage and forced religious conversion case, drawing parallels with the themes explored in the upcoming film 'The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond.'
In a conversation with ANI, Shahdeo reflected on her decade-long legal battle and said the film's subject resonates with her lived experience. Shahdeo said she first encountered the term "love jihad" through media coverage following her marriage. "That was the first time I heard the word 'Love Jihad' through the media. At that time, I didn't even know what the word meant," she said. She added that she initially believed justice would be swift and that punishment for the accused would deter similar incidents. Her case dates back to July 2014, when she married Ranjeet Singh Kohli, who she later discovered was Raqibul Hasan. According to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), she was allegedly deceived about her husband's identity, subjected to physical torture, and pressured to convert to Islam after the marriage. In October 2023, a Special CBI Court in Ranchi delivered its verdict in the case. Shahdeo's former husband, Raqibul Hasan, was sentenced to life imprisonment. His mother and a registrar were also sentenced to prison. Speaking about the social stigma surrounding such incidents, Shahdeo said many victims remain silent due to misconceptions. "More than half of society believes that the girl was misled and did whatever she wanted. This is not just a matter of a girl's mistake or a family's weakness," she said. She expressed regret that broader awareness and open discussion might have prevented years of struggle. "If we are showing that topic to society, then I don't think it is any cruelty or nonsense. These are the things that we never want to discuss. If there had been a discussion in our house, then we would not have been victims of it. So, I think this story like Kerala Story is an eye-opening for us. Some things in it are dirty, which you say in the language is dirty, is nonsense. So, that is what is happening with us," she said. Shahdeo also highlighted that her marriage was arranged following recommendations from influential individuals. She said her family had conducted due diligence and believed they were agreeing to a suitable match. "The thing that you don't like to see, that is happening with the girls of your society. In my case, there was a judge who brought my marriage proposal for that person. So, my story was different. I was not blinded by love. My family investigated. So, his friends were Hindus, DSP, rank. The Advocate General was his friend. He was a reputed person. He showed himself in the scenario. And every parent wants you to go to a good house. Then on the judge's request, we got married. On the second day of our marriage, the same judge told me to get married because the boy with whom I got married, his name was Ranjit Singh. Then he became Raqib-ul-Hassan. Then, from there, the story of struggle starts.," she said, adding that it took her nine years to prove her case in court. Her remarks come amid heightened debate around 'The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond', the sequel to the 2023 film 'The Kerala Story.' Directed by National Award winner Kamakhya Narayan Singh and produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah under Sunshine Pictures, the film is scheduled for theatrical release on February 27, 2026. In an earlier interview with ANI, Kamakhya Narayan Singh asserted that if he had shown anything wrong or misleading in the film, he would "leave filmmaking." The film stars Ulka Gupta, Aditi Bhatia, and Aishwarya Ojha in lead roles. It follows the lives of three young women, who fall into what the film describes as deceptive marriages and face alleged forced religious conversions. The sequel has sparked strong reactions since its trailer launch. Opposition leaders, celebrities and several social media users have criticised it as "propaganda", while the filmmakers maintain that it is based on researched real-life incidents. Shahdeo, however, said that bringing such topics into public discussion is necessary. "If these discussions had happened in our homes earlier, we would not have been victims," she said, calling stories like The Kerala Story "eye-opening." (ANI)
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