Mohanlal's 'L2:Empuraan' to get major edits after India's Hindu right wing protests

Director Prithviraj Sukumaran has been asked to make edits to his latest film, L2: Empuraan, following claims that certain scenes and dialogues hurt public sentiments. Producer Gokulam Gopalan confirmed that adjustments are being made to address concerns raised by some viewers.

Speaking to Manorama Online, Gopalan explained, "If any scenes or dialogues in Empuraan have offended people, I have told Prithviraj to make necessary changes." Some words have already been muted, and additional modifications are planned. The decision comes after protests over certain elements in the film, despite it having cleared the censorship process without issues.

The film, a sequel to Lucifer, touches upon politically sensitive topics, including a depiction of the 2002 Gujarat riots. It also critiques the alleged misuse of central agencies by the ruling government. This has led to a divided response, with right-wing groups criticising the film, while Congress and Left supporters have defended it.

Kerala Congress’s social media team stated that the movie exposes what they call a larger agenda of dividing the state and taking control of key strategic locations. However, BJP state secretary S. Suresh distanced the party from the controversy, saying, "The Kerala BJP won’t interfere. Moviegoers have the freedom to watch, support, or criticise the film."

The backlash has prompted the filmmakers to make significant edits. According to the latest updates, 17 parts of the movie will be altered. This includes muting controversial opinions, cutting certain violent scenes, and changing the villain’s name. A special panel has been set up at Chitranjali Studio to oversee the re-censoring process, replacing the original censorship panel. The revised version of the movie is expected to be ready by Monday.

Producer Gopalan acknowledged the challenges of making these changes. "With the film playing in 4,000 cinemas, modifying scenes will be a costly process around ₹40 lakh (£38,000) at least," he estimated. However, he emphasised that the team wants to ensure the film does not offend anyone.

Despite the controversy, Empuraan continues to perform well at the box office. The film had a record-breaking opening, collecting ₹£2.3 million (₹24.50 crore) in India and £6.3 million (₹67 crore) worldwide on its first day. Within two days, it crossed £9.5 million (₹100 crore), setting a new benchmark for Malayalam cinema.

As the debate around Empuraan continues, the filmmakers remain focused on delivering a version that balances creative vision with audience sensitivities. The re-censored version, featuring 17 edits including muted opinions, cut violent scenes, and changes to the villain’s name will release in theatres by Monday.