March 31, 2025: Amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the film L2: Empuraan, actor Prithviraj Sukumaran’s mother, Mallika Sukumaran, has stepped forward to defend her son, addressing accusations of misleading superstar Mohanlal and the film’s producers.
On Sunday, Mallika took to her Facebook account to express her disappointment with the ongoing criticism. She clarified that neither Mohanlal nor the producers had accused Prithviraj of deceiving them. In her post, Mallika shared her personal connection to Mohanlal, whom she considers like a younger brother, and emphasized the long-standing friendship and mutual respect between the two.
Mallika wrote, “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 has praised my son on many occasions.”
She further defended her son’s role in the making of Empuraan, stating that the entire team, including writer Murali Gopy, had been involved in approving and revising the script, ensuring that everyone was on board with the final product. She clarified that all major decisions were made collaboratively and that Prithviraj was not solely responsible for any issues in the film.
“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 wrote.
In her post, Mallika reassured fans that there were no hidden or secret shots in the film that Mohanlal or the producers were unaware of, stressing that both had been fully involved in the process from start to finish.
Earlier, Mohanlal himself issued a statement regarding the controversy surrounding the film’s political and social themes, which had caused distress to some of his fans. Acknowledging the concerns, the superstar assured his followers that certain elements in the film would be edited out to avoid promoting any form of hatred or negative sentiments.
“I have come to know that some political and social themes that were included in the unveiling of Empuraan, the second part of the Lucifer franchise, have caused considerable distress among many of my loved ones,” Mohanlal shared in his post. He further assured fans that the team would take responsibility and remove any content that could be seen as divisive.
In light of the controversy, the Empuraan production team announced that 17 scenes, including riot sequences and depictions of violence against women, would be edited from the film to address the concerns.
Despite the backlash, L2: Empuraan has been a huge success at the box office, becoming the first Malayalam film to gross Rs 80 crore worldwide on its opening weekend. The movie continues to draw attention, with its themes now undergoing revisions in response to public feedback.