April 6, 2025: The Income Tax Department has issued a notice to Antony Perumbavoor, the producer of the film Empuraan, seeking clarification on financial transactions related to his previous productions, Lucifer and Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea.
The notice comes as part of a follow-up investigation that traces back to raids conducted in 2022, during which the residences and offices of multiple film producers in Kerala, including those associated with Perumbavoor’s production company Aashirvad Cinemas, were raided.
Sources from the Income Tax Department confirmed that the notice pertains to the financial dealings of these production companies between 2019 and 2022. It has been clarified that this action is not connected to the recent controversies surrounding the Empuraan movie, which is still making headlines.
In 2022, the Income Tax Department scrutinized the financial activities of several producers, leading to these follow-up inquiries into the alleged financial transactions within the Malayalam film industry. The latest notice to Perumbavoor, however, is seen as part of the department’s ongoing investigation rather than something new or tied to the release of Empuraan.
Meanwhile, Empuraan, which was recently released, became a point of contention after facing backlash from right-wing groups due to its political and social themes. Amid the controversy, the film’s makers voluntarily edited several scenes to address the objections. Actor-politician Suresh Gopi, who had appeared in the film’s credits under “Special Thanks,” clarified that he had requested the removal of his name from the credits following the film’s re-edit. Gopi further stated that there was no pressure from censors to make the changes. According to him, it was a decision made by the filmmakers themselves, including the producers and the lead actor, Mohanlal, in consultation with the film’s director, Prithviraj Sukumaran.
Gopi confirmed that the 17 scenes removed from Empuraan were done voluntarily and that there was no coercion from any political party or government bodies. He even took to the Rajya Sabha to confirm his stance, rejecting any rumors suggesting that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had forced the edits. His statement further emphasized that the re-editing decision was made in light of the ongoing social and political sensitivity surrounding the film’s content.
Empuraan, the sequel to the hit film Lucifer, has been highly anticipated, with Mohanlal reprising his role. Despite the controversies, the movie was officially released in theatres on March 27 and continues to be a topic of discussion due to its themes and the decisions surrounding its final cut.