Mohanlal expresses regret as Empuraan sparks political storm | India News

KOCHI/THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Malayalam superstar Mohanlal expressed Sunday regret over distress caused by political & social themes in his movie Empuraan. His statement follows backlash over film’s alleged portrayal of the ’02 Gujarat riots, leading CBFC to mandate 17 changes.
“As an artist, it is my duty to ensure that none of my films harbours animosity towards any political movement, ideology or religious group,” Mohanlal wrote in an FB post. “I have come to understand certain themes introduced in Empuraan have caused distress among many who care for me… We’ve collectively decided to remove such themes from the movie.” However, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan (CPM) and VD Satheesan of Congress defended Empuraan, condemning alleged efforts by Sangh Parivar to pressure changes to the film.
Kerala BJP chief criticises Mohanlal film, CM praises it
The film Empuraan, starring Mohanlal, released worldwide on March 27 and grossed over Rs 100 crore at the box office, has drawn sharp criticism from BJP and RSS members in Kerala.
RSS-affiliated publication Organiser claimed that some scenes were “purposefully designed to reinforce the image of Hindus as the primary aggressors during the 2002 riots”.
BJP’s Kerala unit president Rajeev Chandrasekhar said he would no longer watch the movie. “I had said that I would watch the movie Empuraan when I heard it was a sequel to Lucifer. But now I have come to know that the makers of the movie themselves have made 17 amendments in the movie and that the movie is undergoing re-censorship. I understand that there were topics in the movie that disturbed Mohanlal fans and other viewers,” Chandrasekhar wrote on Facebook.
“A movie should be watched as a movie. It can’t be seen as history. Also, any movie that tries to build a story by distorting the truth is doomed to fail. So, will I watch this sequel to Lucifer? No. Am I disappointed by this type of moviemaking? Yes.”
However, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan of CPM and opposition leader VD Satheesan of Congress defended Empuraan, condemning alleged efforts by Sangh Parivar to pressure changes to the film.
Vijayan, who watched the film Sunday, praised its impact on the Malayalam film industry and denounced the backlash. “I watched it amidst widespread hate campaigns unleashed by the Sangh Parivar and communal forces against the film, its actors, and its crew,” he posted on social media.
The CM accused Sangh-linked groups of attempting to suppress the film for depicting historical realities. “The film references one of the most brutal genocides the country has seen… functionaries of BJP and RSS are issuing open threats. It is not a tribute to democracy when communalists can destroy a work of art and viciously attack artistes for taking a stand against communalism and depicting its horrors,” he said.
Congress’s Satheesan accused Sangh of attempting to distort history. “They believe that freedom of expression means the freedom to create narratives that favour them. Their agenda is to celebrate distorted creations,” he said.
He said coercing filmmakers into altering their work amounted to an attack on artistic freedom. “It is a sign of utter failure and cowardice. No matter how much one tries to cover it up, historical truths will always stand clear,” he said.