Why staging of a play on Snehalatha Reddy’s ordeal has sparked battle on Emergency, morality and artistic freedom in Keralam

MISA , a play that recounts the custodial torture and persecution suffered by activist and artist Snehalatha Reddy during the Emergency, has sparked a major social media controversy following its recent staging at the DYFI State Conference in Thrissur, Keralam.

Critics have accused the production of obscenity, objecting to certain intense and realistic scenes and costume choices. The cast, cultural figures and DYFI leaders, however, have strongly defended the play MISA (Maintenance of Internal Security Act) as a powerful portrayal of “state terror and political repression”. They argue that short clips and isolated visuals from the performance were selectively circulated online, stripped of their wider historical and artistic context, triggering a wave of moral outrage and allegations of indecency.