What’s going on with ‘L2: Empuraan’? Why did a highly successful film face backlash so quickly?
Malayalam superstar Mohanlal’s latest movie L2: Empuraan made headlines before and after its release—but for very different reasons. The sequel to the hit 2019 film Lucifer, directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran, opened in theatres on March 27 to massive fanfare, collecting record-breaking numbers at the box office. It quickly became the highest-grossing Malayalam film ever and ranked second among all Indian movies released this year. But despite its commercial success, the movie stirred controversy due to its depiction of sensitive political and religious topics. Some scenes seemed to reference the 2002 Gujarat riots, which didn’t sit well with certain Hindu nationalist groups. The backlash was so strong that Mohanlal himself issued an apology and promised that controversial scenes would be removed.
So, what exactly led to this unexpected storm around the movie?
Key Highlights:
- L2: Empuraan is a sequel to Lucifer, featuring Mohanlal as a powerful political leader with a hidden criminal empire.
- After its release, the film received backlash from Hindu right-wing groups for referencing real-life incidents like the 2002 Gujarat riots.
- Mohanlal apologized on social media and said changes would be made to avoid offending any political or religious groups.
- The film was re-censored and re-released with 24 cuts to address the concerns raised by critics and audiences.
What’s the deeper story behind the outrage?
The movie begins with the backstory of a character named Zayed Masood, played by director Prithviraj himself. It includes scenes showing violent communal riots, with visuals and references that closely resemble the 2002 Gujarat violence, where hundreds of people—mainly Muslims—were killed. One character’s name, “Baba Bajrangi,” mirrored a real-life figure involved in those events. Several BJP supporters and right-wing media outlets criticized the film for what they saw as distortion of facts and an “anti-national” narrative.
Although the BJP officially distanced itself from launching any protest, individual members like Rajeev Chandrasekhar expressed regret for supporting the film initially. Some social media users also began calling for a boycott. However, there was no large-scale organized campaign against the movie.
Quick Summary of the Changes:
- Around 24 scenes and dialogues were cut or muted after the backlash.
- Mohanlal clarified that he never intended to offend any political or religious group.
- The film was re-submitted to the censor board for approval post-edits.
- Kerala’s ruling CPI(M) and opposition Congress party supported the filmmakers and defended artistic freedom.
Final Thoughts:
Despite the controversy, L2: Empuraan continues to draw large crowds in cinemas. But the debate around it has opened up larger questions: How much creative freedom should filmmakers have? Should movies avoid touching real political or religious events altogether? While the film’s edits may calm some critics, it has also sparked a wider conversation about censorship, political pressure, and the future of bold storytelling in Indian cinema.
Only time will tell whether this uproar will affect the third installment in the Lucifer trilogy. One thing’s for sure—the buzz around Empuraan is far from over.
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