Empuraan Cuts Two Minutes of Scenes; Not Out of Fear, Says Producer

Malayalam film producer Antony Perumbavoor has clarified that the removal of over two minutes of scenes from the recently released film L2: Empuraan was a collective decision made by the entire team, including actors Mohanlal and Prithviraj Sukumaran. He emphasized that the edits were not made out of fear or pressure from any group.

Speaking to reporters, Perumbavoor stated, "There is no question of being afraid. We live in a society. We never intended to do anything which would hurt the sentiments of anyone. If someone is unhappy with the film, then as producers, directors, and actors, we all have the responsibility to address that grievance. So, we all jointly took the decision to carry out the edits. Around two minutes and some seconds worth of scenes have been removed."

The decision comes two days after Mohanlal expressed regret over the controversy surrounding the film and assured that the contentious portions would be cut. The movie has faced criticism from the Sangh Parivar for its perceived critique of right-wing politics and references to the Gujarat riots.

When asked whether the decision to edit the film was influenced by political pressure, Perumbavoor categorically denied it, saying, "It is not because of any threats or pressure by anyone. Not just for any party, but even if people are affected, we will take the same steps."

He also defended actor Prithviraj Sukumaran, urging people not to target him over the issue.

Despite backlash from some quarters, the film has received support from Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan. However, BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar expressed his disappointment, stating that he would not watch the film.

Perumbavoor also confirmed that a third installment in the Lucifer trilogy is planned, despite the ongoing controversy.