"Prithviraj Being Made a Scapegoat ": Mallika Sukumaran On L2: Empuraan Row (Image-Facebook/Sukumaran Mallika)
L2: Empuraan, the recently released sequel starring Mohanlal, directed by Prithviraj, has sparked outrage among right-wing groups over its depiction of the 2002 Gujarat riot. While the whole team is facing backlash, Prithviraj’s mother and veteran actress Mallika Sukumaran defended the actor stating that some people want to make him a “scapegoat” in the controversy.
In a Facebook post, Mallika Sukumaran expressed her disappointment over Prithviraj being allegedly targeted for misleading Mohanlal and the film’s producers. Expressing her pain as a mother, she wrote, “The director, Prithviraj, has not cheated anyone related to this movie.”
Read Also: “Team Empuraan And I Regret…”: Mohanlal’s Apology After Right-Wing Fury
Mallika clarified that Prithviraj did not mislead anyone, and the story’s narrative and tone were known to the entire team, including the writer Murali Gopy and Mohanlal as they were involved in script revisions throughout.
“This is a mother’s pain. There is no point in someone making fun of me for speaking openly about it. Neither Mohanlal nor the producers have said that Prithviraj cheated them. I don’t think they will ever say that. Mohanlal is like my younger brother. I have known Lal since childhood. Mohanlal has praised my son on many occasions. But it is very sad that some people are trying to make my son a scapegoat without the knowledge of Lal or the producers. Director Prithviraj has not cheated anyone associated with this film or any film. He will never do so,” she wrote.
She further added, “If you feel that there is any problem with the film Empuraan, then everyone in this group is responsible for it. They all read the script together. They all saw the scenes being shot together, and everyone agreed. If scenes needed to be edited during shooting, writer Murali Gopy was always willing to do so… then how can Prithviraj be solely responsible for it when everything was finalized and the film was released?”
She emphasised that Mohanlal and the producers were aware of every shot in the film, so there is no question of them being blindsided by the final version as has been claimed. “I want to make it clear that there is not a single shot in Empuraan that neither of them (Mohanlal or the producers) knew about. There is nothing in this film that Mohanlal does not know. Neither of them would say that they were unaware of anything in the film.”
L2: Empuraan Gujarat Riot issue:
The portrayal of the 2002 Gujarat riots and the Naroda Patiya massacre, led by convicted Babu Bajrangi (Baba Bajrangi in in the film) did not sit well with many. The film faced a massive hate campaign run by Hindutva social media handles, Sangh Parivar leaders, and right-wing outlets. As a result of the backlash, the producers of the film were instructed to remove scenes, especially those that mention the Gujarat genocide and the Bajrangi’s name from the film. As per the reports, the film underwent re-censorship with 17 new cuts to remove scenes related to the 2002 incident.
Read Also: Blog: Arguments In Favour Of Prithviraj And Team L2 Empuraan
L2: Empuraan has been receiving good receptions from fans and critics and has been witnessing a great hike at its box office front. Within merely four days of its release, the film has already crossed the Rs 100 crore mark worldwide and has earned Rs 59.35 crore domestically.
Written by Murali Gopy, Empuraan is the second installment in the Lucifer trilogy. 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 an international appeal to the project.
