‘L2- Empuraan, the much-anticipated Malayalam film starring Mohanlal and directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran, has found itself at the center of a storm since its theatrical release on March 27, 2025. Intended as a grand political-action saga and the second installment in the Lucifer trilogy, the film has shattered box office records, reportedly crossing Rs 100 crore worldwide within days. However, its success has been overshadowed by a fierce controversy fuelled by right-wing groups, an aggressive online backlash, and a subsequent decision by the filmmakers—led by producer and star Mohanlal—to re-edit the movie.
The Spark of Controversy
The controversy erupted shortly after Empuraan hit theaters, with right-wing organizations, including supporters and leaders of RSS and BJP,accusing the film of promoting an ‘anti-Hindu narrative’. The ire stems primarily from the film’s opening sequences, which depict a communal riot resembling the 2002 Gujarat riots. These scenes, running over around 30 minutes, include visuals of a train burning—evoking the Sabarmati Express incident at Godhra—and subsequent mob violence targeting Muslims. Critics from the right-wing spectrum, including the RSS mouthpiece Organiser, have labelled the film a ‘propaganda piece’ that vilifies Hindus by portraying them as aggressors without sufficient context, such as the origins of the train fire.
The film’s storyline, penned by screenwriter Murali Gopy (son of late Bharat Gopi who was an acclaimed actor) introduces a Hindutva-inspired antagonist named ‘Bajrangi.’ His actions are linked to the massacre of Zayed Masood’s family, a character portrayed by Prithviraj. In the present day, Bajrangi has risen to become a political kingmaker in India and arrives in Kerala to form an alliance with the ruling IUF, a party resembling Congress. The young Chief Minister, Jathin Das (played by Tovino), son of the late P.K. Ramdas—a revered ideologue and leader of the IUF—welcomes Bajrangi, abandoning the principles and ethics upheld by his father. Meanwhile, his sister, Priyadarshini Ramdas (played by Manju Warrier), who had previously stayed away from active politics, steps forward to lead a rival faction of the party in opposition to her brother and the ‘corrupt’ Chief Minister, Jathin Das. The very opening caption of the film ‘Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely’ gives the idea of the film in a nutshell pointing towards the politics of the present times.
The portrayal of Bajrangi, the vilian who orchestrated the riot becoming the king maker in Indian politics enraged the right wing causing wide spread protest. This portrayal has been interpreted by detractors as a deliberate attack on Hindu identity and an attempt to malign right-wing politics. Social media posts from outlets like Hindu Post and Sanathana Dharma have gone further, calling Empuraan a ‘Hindu-bashing’ film that betrays Mohanlal’s fanbase and accusing Prithviraj of pushing an anti-government agenda rooted in his past activism, such as his support for the “Save Lakshadweep” campaign.
The Right Wing Cyber Attack
The backlash quickly escalated into a coordinated online offensive. Right-wing supporters flooded platforms like X and Face Book with boycott calls, sharing screenshots of cancelled tickets and urging others to shun the film. Hashtags like EmpuraanControversy trended as users labelled it a “Jihadi propaganda” film, with some even targeting Mohanlal personally—a rare move given his long-standing reputation as a unifying figure in Malayalam cinema.
This cyber-attack wasn’t limited to the ordinary and faceless profiles, but prominent voices joined the fray. The Organiser published a scathing critique, questioning Mohanlal’s involvement and suggesting that his participation signalled a betrayal of his neutral persona. The cyber trolls including self-proclaimed Mohanlal fans, expressed disillusionment and rage which went to the extent of demanding of revoking his honorary military title lieutenant colonel.
The Cyber attack against Prithwiraj Sukumaran, the actor and director of the film was even worse. The right wing trolls even spread hate referring to his family and his father former actor, late Sukumaran. One message spread in Malayalam whatsApp universe goes to the heinous extend of questioning his paternity. Interestingly, Murali Gopi, faced the least cyber bullying despite he being the man who wrote the film. His 2012 movie ‘Ee Adutha Kalathu’ (‘In Recent Times’), that was critically acclaimed for it’s artistic value was also a point of discussion for a shot of the RSS Shakha which has no direct connection with the theme of the movie. Despite Kerala being one of the States having the largest number of Shakhas, Malayalam films usually do not portrait the same. In an earlier interview, Murali Gopi criticised the Malayalam film industry for ‘hiding RSS’ as if it does not exist’. “I display the shakha in my film, because it is a reality; You have to confront Hindutwa if you want to address it, avoiding it does not make sense’ he told in a previous interview given to a You tube channel.
Political Divide and Support from the Left and Congress
The controversy has also exposed a stark political divide. While right-wing groups decried Empuraan, Congress and Left-leaning factions in Kerala praised its “courage” in tackling sensitive issues. The movie was widely appreciated by the left and congress circle as a ‘daring attempt to speak the truth’.
After the news of the film to be reedited according to the demand raised by the Samgh Parivar, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vjayan watched the movie along with his family on 29th March. Today- 30th March morning, he made a face book post appreciating the movie and condemning the attack against the same.
Pinarayi Vijayan’s face book note in Malayalam go as follows; “I watched the film Empuraan, that elevates the Malayalam film industry to new heights. It was amidst widespread hate campaigns unleashed by the Sangh Parivar’s communal forces against the film, its actors, and its crew that I saw the movie. What has enraged the meticulously organized Sangh Parivar is the film’s reference to one of the most brutal massacres the country has witnessed. Not only the supporters but even leaders of the BJP and RSS have openly raised threats.
Reports have emerged that, succumbing to this pressure, the filmmakers are being forced to re-censor and edit the film. This atmosphere of fear created by the Sangh Parivar is deeply concerning. The situation where communal forces can destroy a work of art and vilely attack artists simply for taking a stand against communalism and depicting its horrors is not an ornament to democracy.
In a democratic society, a citizen’s freedom of expression must be protected. The violent calls to destroy and ban a work of art and its creators are fresh manifestations of a fascist mindset. This is a violation of democratic rights. The rights to make films, watch them, enjoy them, evaluate them, agree or disagree with them—all these must not be lost. For this, the united voice of this land, rooted in democratic and secular values, must rise”.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s post was widely shared by the left handles with a reference to Murali Gopi’s one of the past films – ‘Left Right Left’ in which a left political leader with the mannerisms and slang of Pinarayi Vijayan was portrayed as villain. No left leaders including Pinarayi Vijayan did call for a ban or modification of the film which was released in 2013. The film could not make a commercial success in theatres and did not invoke any discussion as well.
The Congress’s social media handle hailed it as a “world-class film exposing the Sangh agenda,” while leaders like Rahul Mamkoottathil defended it against what they called an “orchestrated hate campaign.” Bineesh Kodiyeri of CPIM(son of late CPIM leader Kodiyeri Balakrishnan) who is also an actor, lauded the filmmakers for depicting the Gujarat riots in “today’s India,” a pointed jab at the current political climate.
After the news of ‘Empuraan’ undergoing re-editing omitting certain scenes broke, a massive surge in bookings flooded ‘BookMyShow’ yesterday and today, with people scrambling to secure their tickets. Social media buzz and speculation about the changes in the film fuelled the passion, making ‘Empuraan’ one of the hottest tickets in town. Many shows across major cities are already filling up fast. The 4000 seats in Kochi citiy alone has been filled for weekend already as shows in the bookmyshow App.
Producers gave in: Mohanlal’s apology and the decision to redo the film
Amid mounting pressure, the filmmakers announced on March 29, 2025, that Empuraan would undergo voluntary edits to address the criticism. Reports indicate that over 17 modifications are planned, including changes to the riot sequences, muting certain references, and altering the antagonist’s name Bajrangi . Yielding to the right wing pressure and threats, Producer Gokulam Gopalan reportedly stated that ‘corrective steps would be taken if sentiments were hurt’.
Putting an end to all the rumours regarding the film’s cutting off the scenes resembling Guajrat riot and changing the name of the villain, Mohanlal himself came up with an apology. He announced the decision to make changes in the film as it ‘caused hurt to people who love him’. His post in FB in Malayalam goes as follows;
“I have come to know that certain political and social themes that emerged in the making of ‘Empuraan’, the second installment of the ‘Lucifer’ franchise, have caused great distress to many who love me. As an artist, it is my duty to ensure that none of my films promote hatred towards any political movement, ideology, or religious group.
Therefore, both I and the ‘Empuraan’ team sincerely regret the discomfort this has caused my beloved audience. We also recognize that the responsibility for this rests with all of us who worked on the film. With this understanding, we have collectively decided to remove such elements from the movie. For the past four decades, I have lived my cinematic journey as one among you. Your love and trust are my only strength. I truly believe that there is no Mohanlal beyond that”
In a few minutes, Prithwiraj shared Mohanlal’s post but without making a comment of his own.
The Left and Congress social media handles widely contempt the post by Mohanlal pointing towards his connection with the Samgh that came out in several instances during the past. On the other hand, the opinion that whether to be re edited or not- Empuraan served it’s purpose- that of ‘invoking the memories of Gujarat riot and also giving an opportunity to post 2000 generation to go back to the history and understand the ethnic cleansing happened in Gujarat.
The officials in the film censor board clarified that they have so far received no communication (as on 1 p m,30th March) regarding the modifications to be made in the film. “They have to do voluntary modifications as per rule 31 (The Cinematography Certification Rules 2024) . We have to go through it and endorse the changes. If the change in duration is only less than 70 minutes, then two members are required to watch and endorse” says a member of the Board in condition of anonymity.
As Empuraan continues its theatrical run, its legacy may be defined as much by this controversy as by its cinematic achievements. Whether the changes will pacify critics or fuel further debate remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Empuraan has transcended the screen to become a lightning rod in India’s cultural discourse.