L2- Empuraan, the much-anticipated Malayalam film starring Mohanlal and directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran, has found itself at the centre of a storm since its theatrical release on March 27, 2025.
Intended as a grand political-action saga and the second instalment 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 theatres, with right-wing organisations, including supporters and leaders of the RSS and BJP, accusing the film of promoting an ‘anti-Hindu narrative’.
The ire stems primarily from the film라이브 바카라 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 film라이브 바카라 storyline, penned by screenwriter Murali Gopi, introduces a Hindutva-inspired antagonist named ‘Bajrangi.’ His actions are linked to the massacre of Zayed Masood라이브 바카라 family, a character portrayed by Prithviraj.
The portrayal of Bajrangi, the villain who orchestrated the riot and then becomes a kingmaker in Indian politics, enraged the right-wing. This role 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 Mohanlal라이브 바카라 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 Facebook 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.
This cyber-attack wasn’t limited to the faceless profiles; prominent voices joined the fray. The Organiser published a scathing critique, questioning Mohanlal라이브 바카라 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 the revoking of his honorary military title of Lieutenant Colonel.
The attack on Prithviraj Sukumaran, the director and an actor in the film was even worse. Right wing trolls spread hate referring to his family and his father the late Sukumaran, who was also an actor.
Interestingly, Murali Gopi faced the least cyber bullying despite he being the man who wrote the film. Gopi's 2012 movie ‘Ee Adutha Kalathu’ (‘In Recent Times’), which was critically acclaimed for it라이브 바카라 artistic value, was also a point of discussion for a shot of an 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 portray them In an earlier interview, Murali Gopi criticised the Malayalam film industry for ‘hiding RSS’ as if it does not exist’. He has said that he used to go to shakhas in his childhood.
“I display the shakha in my film, because it is a reality; You have to confront Hindutva if you want to address it, avoiding it does not make sense," he said in an interview to a You tube channel.
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 reports emerged that the film was to be reedited according to the demand raised by the Sangh Parivar, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vjayan watched the movie along with his family on 29 March. On 30 March morning, he made a Facebook post appreciating the movie and condemning the attacks.
"In a democratic society, a citizen라이브 바카라 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,” the Chief Minister said in his post.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan라이브 바카라 post was widely shared by the left handles with a reference to Murali Gopi라이브 바카라 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 Congress라이브 바카라 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) lauded the filmmakers for depicting the Gujarat riots in "today라이브 바카라 India," a pointed jab at the current political climate.
After the news of ‘Empuraan’ undergoing re-editing to omit certain scenes broke, a massive surge in bookings was seen on ‘BookMyShow’, with people scrambling to secure tickets. Social media buzz and speculation about the changes in the film made ‘Empuraan’ one of the hottest tickets in town. Many shows across major cities are filling up fast. The 4000 seats in Kochi city are fully booked for the weekend as per the BookMyShow App.
Producers gave in: Mohanlal라이브 바카라 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 antagonist라이브 바카라 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".
Mohanlal, too, came up with an apology. He announced the decision to make changes in the film as it "caused hurt to people who love him". In his post on Facebook in Malayalam, he says: “I have come to know that certain political and social themes that emerged in the making of Empuraan’, the second instalment 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."
In a few minutes, Prithviraj shared Mohanlal라이브 바카라 post without making a comment of his own.
The officials at the film censor board clarified that they have so far received no communication (as of 1 pm, 30 March) regarding the modifications to be made in the film. “They have to do voluntary modifications as per (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,” said a member of the Board in condition of anonymity.
Whether the voluntary changes will pacify critics or fuel further debate remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Empuraan has become a lightning rod in India라이브 바카라 current cultural discourse.
