Empuraan, Lyca, Gokulam: What Happened
The uncertainty surrounding Empuraan, one of Malayalam cinema’s biggest productions, has finally been resolved. After weeks of speculation regarding its release, Mohanlal and Prithviraj Sukumaran confirmed through social media that Empuraan will hit theatres worldwide on 27 March 2025 as planned. The announcement came with a new poster, revealing that Gokulam Gopalan’s Sree Gokulam Movies has joined the project as a producer.
This development comes after reports suggested that Lyca Productions, one of the original production houses, was on the verge of withdrawing from the film. However, the latest poster still features Lyca’s name, indicating that they are not completely out. With this, the film now has three producers: Subaskaran of Lyca Productions, Antony Perumbavoor of Aashirvad Cinemas, and Gokulam Gopalan of Sree Gokulam Movies. The financial dispute between Aashirvad and Lyca had led to uncertainty, with claims that Lyca demanded its investment with interest, which Aashirvad struggled to repay. To resolve the situation, Aashirvad sought external support, and Gokulam Movies stepped in to bridge the gap, reportedly acquiring Lyca’s rights.
Director Prithviraj Sukumaran confirmed Gokulam Movies’ involvement but did not mention Lyca in his post, subtly suggesting their diminished role. Meanwhile, industry insiders claim that the lack of updates over the past few weeks was due to ongoing negotiations, particularly concerning the overseas distribution and OTT rights. Some even speculate that this period of silence was a strategic promotional move.
L2 Empuraan was a film that raised high expectations for Lyca’s entry into Kerala, a production house that played a major role in the production of pan-Indian films like Enthiran 2.0 and Ponniyin Selvan. However, Lyca’s latest project, Vidaamuyarchi, was not like the films that heralded its glorious era. Despite Ajith Kumar’s star power, Lyca stumbled, unable to hold its ground at the box office. Although Vettaiyan, which was released before that, was a successful film, Indian 2, which was released even earlier, was disappointing.
Despite these production hurdles, Empuraan remains on track. The film, written by Murali Gopy, is the second instalment in the Lucifer trilogy and is set to release in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, and Kannada. Mohanlal reprises his role as Khureshi-Ab’raam/Stephen Nedumpally, while Prithviraj, Manju Warrier, Tovino Thomas, Indrajith Sukumaran, and Suraj Venjaramoodu lead a star-studded cast. British actor Jerome Flynn, best known for Game of Thrones, adds international appeal to the project.
Filming for Empuraan commenced on 5 October 2023 in Faridabad and has spanned multiple locations, including the US, UK, UAE, Chennai, Mumbai, Gujarat, Ladakh, Kerala, Hyderabad, Shimla, and Leh. The film’s technical team includes Deepak Dev for music, Sujith Vasudev for cinematography, and Akhilesh Mohan for editing. Stunt Silva has choreographed the action sequences, with Mohandas handling art direction and Nirmal Sahadev serving as creative director. Notably, Empuraan has been shot entirely in anamorphic format, a technique that will continue into the third and final part of the trilogy.
With the production challenges now seemingly resolved, the film’s promotions are expected to gain momentum. Advance bookings have already begun in the US, further confirming that Empuraan is locked in for its scheduled release.
