The Malayalam movie business has experienced success in the past, but the record-breaking opening of L2: Empuraan—shattering ₹100 crore globally in two days—should have been an easy win.
But now, rather than basking in that glory, the cast and crew of the film, including superstar Mohanlal, director-actor Prithviraj Sukumaran, writer Murali Gopy, and producer Gokulam Gopalan, are mired in a political scandal that is unnecessary.
What Provoked the Outrage?
One section of the BJP followers in Kerala was insulted by certain fictional elements in the movie.
They accused L2: Empuraan of being "anti-Hindu" and reported that it painted a bad image of the community. Some of their complaints included:
"The lead villain is a Hindu politician from Gujarat who rises to power on an anti-Muslim platform."
"The attempt by a made-up political party to exploit Kerala's resources."
"Utilization of central agencies in a manner that replicated real-world controversies."
At first, these allegations were rejected by Kerala BJP leadership. They articulated in clear terms that L2: Empuraan was merely a film and not a political observation.
The party, though, seemed to waver as indignation grew on social media, which led to confusion.
The Real Intent of the Film
For anyone who's seen L2: Empuraan, it's clear that the movie is not an ideological attack. It has some moments that mythologize human beings—like a Hindu woman sheltering a Muslim family from a riot—before it turns into a high-octane action thriller with Mohanlal as a larger-than-life character.
The movie also examines Kerala politics but is mainly meant for entertainment, not propaganda.
But still, the directors have now yielded to 17 modifications in the film after facing relentless online criticism. This includes altering dialogues and scenes to avoid further controversy.
Why Does This Matter?
This incident raises larger questions regarding creative freedom in Indian cinema:
"Selective Outrage – While L2: Empuraan is being attacked for the politics of make-believe, some Hindi films actively champion divisive narratives without outrage."
"Art vs. Politics – Do directors need to live in fear of being criticized by online mobs who might not even represent the majority voice?"
"Double Standards – If a Malayalam movie is censored for political reasons, why are Bollywood movies with clear communal undertones let off the hook?"
Mohanlal issues an apology
People have demanded an apology from Mohanlal and the producer recently even shared that he would issue the apology.
In his post, Mohanlal wrote about how a few scenes have caused political unrest. He wrote in Malayalam, "I have come to know that some of the political and social themes that have come into play in the film Empuran, the second part of the Lucifer franchise, have caused great distress to many of my loved ones. As an artist it is my duty to ensure that none of my films harbors hatred towards any political movement, ideology or sect."
It is not just L2: Empuraan. It's a matter of whether Indian films can present out-and-out daring, fantastical stories without bowing down in fear of angering political groups.
The Malayalam industry has long been held in esteem for realistic, visionary storytelling.
If every film starts bending over to accommodate outrage artificially contrived, then there will be no imagination.
What's Next?
The re-shot L2: Empuraan will now hit the screens, but the damage has been done.
The crew of the film, which had worked towards showcasing Malayalam cinema at a world level, had to compromise their vision due to undue pressure.
The audience, on the other hand, needs to ask themselves: Do we want to watch a cinema that stimulates and entertains, or do we simply want to enjoy stories that belong to a specific narrative?
While the debate continues, one thing is clear—art should never be held hostage by politics.
Otherwise, the fate of Indian storytelling will be dictated not by imagination but by fear.
