New Delhi:
Actor Prithviraj Sukumaran’s mother, Mallika Sukumaran, has come forward in defense of her son amid the ongoing controversy surrounding L2: Empuraan.
On Sunday, Mallika took to Facebook to express her disappointment over the criticism directed at Prithviraj, particularly allegations that he had misled superstar Mohanlal and the film’s producers.
“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 clarified that all key members involved in the project, including writer Murali Gopy, were actively part of script discussions and revisions.
“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 added.
Mallika also stated that Mohanlal and the producers were fully informed about every aspect of the film.
“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,” she concluded.
Earlier on Sunday, Mohanlal issued a statement addressing concerns about the film’s political and social themes.
Acknowledging that certain aspects had caused distress among fans, the actor assured that the team had decided to remove contentious references.
“I understand that some political and social themes included in Empuraan, the second installment in the Lucifer franchise, have caused distress among many of my dear ones,” he wrote in a Facebook post.
“As an artist, it is my duty to ensure that my films do not promote hatred toward any political ideology or religious group. With that in mind, the Empuraan team and I sincerely regret any distress caused. We take collective responsibility and have decided to remove such elements from the film,” he wrote in Malayalam.
“For over four decades, it is the audience’s love and trust that have shaped my cinematic journey. That remains my greatest strength,” he added.
In response to the controversy, the film’s production team has confirmed that Empuraan will undergo revisions. Reports suggest that 17 scenes, including those depicting riots and violence against women, will be edited out.
Despite the backlash, L2: Empuraan has witnessed massive box office success. Released on March 27, the film became the first Malayalam movie to surpass Rs 80 crore worldwide during its opening weekend.