Malayalam cinema titan Mohanlal stepped into a political maelstrom Sunday, issuing a heartfelt apology over the uproar sparked by his latest film, L2: Empuraan, while Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan fired a salvo at the Sangh Parivar, accusing them of stifling artistic freedom with an “atmosphere of fear.”
The Prithviraj Sukumaran-directed sequel, released Thursday, has become a lightning rod for debate over its veiled references to the 2002 Gujarat riots, drawing fierce backlash from right-wing groups and praise from the Left and Congress.
In a Facebook post, Mohanlal expressed “sincere regret” for the distress caused by the film’s political undertones, vowing with his team—including Prithviraj and producer Antony Perumbavoor—to excise the contentious bits.
“As an artist, I must ensure my films don’t fuel hatred toward any ideology or community,” he wrote, leaning on his 40-year bond with fans. “Your love and trust are my strength—there’s no Mohanlal without that.” The move followed reports of 17 planned cuts, targeting riot scenes and violence against women, after Sangh Parivar outrage forced a re-censorship scramble.
Hours earlier, CM Vijayan, who caught a screening Saturday night with family, blasted the right-wing’s “hate campaign” in a searing Facebook post. Calling Empuraan a nod to “one of the most brutal genocides” in India’s history, he accused the Sangh Parivar of bullying filmmakers into edits.
“This fear they’ve conjured is a threat to democracy—communalists can’t be allowed to crush art just for exposing their horrors,” he thundered, rallying for a secular, united stand. Opposition Leader V.D. Satheesan echoed him, slamming the Sangh for twisting history and strong-arming creativity. “Threatening artists isn’t victory—it’s cowardice,” he shot back, pledging to see the film.
The BJP’s Kerala chief, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, took a U-turn from his initial buzz about watching Empuraan. “I liked Lucifer, but this sequel’s distortions disappoint me—I won’t watch it,” he posted, decrying films that “warp truth” as doomed.
His shift came as Sangh affiliates branded the movie “anti-Hindu” propaganda, while Left and Congress voices—like Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal and CPI(M)’s E.P. Jayarajan—hailed its gutsy stance.
L2: Empuraan, part two of the Lucifer trilogy, roared onto 4,500 Kerala screens opening day, raking in ₹100 crore globally in 48 hours despite the storm. Its critique of right-wing politics has split the state: Sangh Parivar decries it as villainous libel, while progressive factions cheer its boldness.
As Mohanlal bends and Vijayan swings, this reel battle’s real climax remains unwritten—proof cinema’s power to provoke still burns bright.