Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], March 31 : The much-anticipated Malayalam film 'L2: Empuraan', starring Mohanlal, has sparked intense political reactions and public debate following its release.
Kerala BJP President Rajeev Chandrasekhar recently shared his views on the movie, saying that while he has not yet watched Empuraan, he thoroughly enjoyed the prequel, 'Lucifer'.
"I have not seen the movie, I have seen the prequel of the movie called 'Lucifer', that was a very good movie. It was a thriller, I enjoyed the movie. I am a big fan of Mohanlal," he said while speaking to ANI.
However, he added "I had said that I look forward to seeing the sequel, but it is clear and I have said earlier also that the party's position is very clear that a movie is a movie. The movie is not history and therefore everybody has a right, every Malayali has a right to watch the movie to criticise it, to like it, to dislike it."
Chandrasekhar emphasized that the film should not be over-analyzed, whether positively or negatively.
"Many people have disliked the movie, some people have liked it and that is fine. What we have said is a movie is a movie and people should not read too much into it or too less into it. In any event without even us saying anything, because of the commercial feedback, the producers have decided to edit the movie and submit it for re-censorship. So, I have no view on it," he said.
"But given the controversies, I have decided not to watch the movie," Chandrasekhar added.
The BJP leader further said, "Somebody asked me are you sad if Mohanlal would make a movie like this and I said yes I am sad, that's all. If Pinarayi Vijayan loves the movie, he can watch it 10 times I have no problem with it and if somebody dislikes the movie as many people have, they actually have the right to dislike and criticise it."
In contrast, Kerala's Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, on March 31, strongly condemned the ongoing hate campaigns against the film, attributing the backlash to its reference to a significant historical genocide.
"The fact that the film references one of the most brutal genocides the country has ever seen has angered the Sangh Parivar," Vijayan wrote in a Facebook post after watching the film.
He further criticized the Sangh Parivar for using communal hate campaigns to target Empuraan, its cast, and crew.
"These are the latest manifestations of fascist attitudes," he said, stressing the importance of protecting the freedom of expression in a democratic society.
The Chief Minister's condemnation continued with a warning against "violent calls" to ban or destroy art, calling it a violation of democratic rights.
His social media post went on to label the growing trend of coercion against filmmakers as deeply disturbing, asserting that the tactics employed were a hallmark of authoritarianism.
Congress leader and Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan also joined the discourse, accusing the Sangh Parivar of distorting history.
"The Sangh Parivar thinks that freedom of expression means freedom for constructions created in their favour.
Cinema is the work of a group of artists," he wrote in a Facebook post.
Satheesan emphasized that any attempt to distort or censor a piece of art through threats and insults was a sign of "radical failure."
Despite the uproar, Empuraan has found commercial success. The film broke records by grossing Rs 80 crore worldwide during its opening weekend.
In response to the criticism, the Empuraan production team announced they would be revising certain scenes, including those depicting violent riot sequences and violence against women.
Mohanlal, the film's lead actor, also addressed the controversy in a statement, acknowledging that certain themes in the film had caused distress among some viewers.
"As an artist, it is my duty to ensure that none of my films promote hatred towards any political movement, ideology, or religious group," Mohanlal expressed in a heartfelt post.
He reassured fans that the offensive content would be removed, taking full responsibility for the issue.