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L2: Empuraan
Theatrical release poster
Directed byPrithviraj Sukumaran
Written byMurali Gopy
Produced by
Starring
CinematographySujith Vaassudev
Edited byAkhilesh Mohan
Music byDeepak Dev
Production
company
Distributed bysee below
Release date
  • 27 March 2025 (2025-03-27)
Running time
178 minutes[a]
CountryIndia
LanguageMalayalam
Budget₹180 crore[4]
Box office₹325 crore[5]

L2: Empuraan (transl. Overlord; stylised as L2: E.M.P.U.R.A.A.N marketed as L2E) is a 2025 Indian Malayalam-language action thriller film directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran and written by Murali Gopy. It is jointly produced by Antony Perumbavoor, Subaskaran Allirajah and Gokulam Gopalan through Aashirvad Cinemas, Lyca Productions and Sree Gokulam Movies. The second instalment in the Lucifer trilogy starring Mohanlal, alongside an ensemble cast including Prithviraj Sukumaran, Abhimanyu Singh, Manju Warrier, Tovino Thomas, Indrajith Sukumaran, Jerome Flynn, Andrea Tivadar, Saikumar, Baiju Santhosh, Suraj Venjaramoodu, and Kishore while Rick Yune and Pranav Mohanlal makes cameo appearances.

Lucifer was conceived as a three-part film series since its inception. The first film's success led to the decision to proceed with the second in the series. It was announced in June 2019, and production, originally planned for mid-2020, faced delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Murali took the opportunity to expand the scale and scope of the film. Although it maintains continuity, it was meant to be a standalone entry, not requiring viewers to have seen the first film. The screenplay was finalised in July 2022, and pre-production began the next month. Lyca joined in September 2023 and in March 2025, Gopalan joined as a co-producer, following financial disputes with Lyca. Deepak Dev composed the original soundtrack.

Principal photography took place from October 2023 to December 2024, spanning 145 days across sporadic schedules in India, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the United Arab Emirates. It was made on a ₹180 crore budget.[6] L2: Empuraan was released in theatres on 27 March 2025 in standard, IMAX, and EPIQ formats. Despite controversies, it received generally positive reviews and emerged as the highest-grossing Malayalam film of all-time and the second highest-grossing Indian film of the year.[7]

Plot

In 2002, communal riots break out in Gujarat between Hindu and Muslim extremists, forcing a young Zayed Masood and his flee. They seek refuge with Subhadra Ben, a political activist, who entrusts their safety with her nephew, Munna. However, Munna, harbouring a deep hatred towards Muslims, informs his extremist elder brother, Balraj Patel. Balraj leads a mob that massacres Zayed's family, including his father Masood, and mother Bahija Begum. Subhadra Ben is also killed by Balraj for betraying her community. Devastated, Zayed, takes his younger brother Zaheer, and flees, only to later discover him dead.

In the present, six years into his tenure as the Chief Minister of Kerala, Jathin Ramdas finds himself under investigation by several intelligence agencies for corruption and involvement in money-laundering scams. The future of his political party, Indian Union Front (IUF) is in turmoil, as a new opposition party, Akhanda Shakthi Morcha (ASM), gains prominence in Kerala. Unexpectedly, Jathin announces his resignation from the IUF to form a new faction, IUF PKR, which is allied with the ASM, whose national leader is Balraj, now operating under the alias, Baba Bajrangi. Balraj plans to amass his wealth under the guise of public service, through exploiting Kerala's political landscape. Meanwhile, Govardhan has been investigating Stephen Nedumpally, P. K. Ramdas' adopted son, who disappeared from politics after Jathin took office.

In the UK, MI6 agent Boris Oliver has been pursuing the Khureshi-Ab'raam nexus. On the other hand, Interpol officer Robert McCarthy, covertly conspires with Kabuga, an African crime lord and Sergei Leonov, a former associate of Ab'raam, to traffic drugs from Senegal to Guinea. Simultaneously, Ab'raam who opposes drug trafficking, thwarts the operation and eliminates McCarthy and Leonov. He arranges a meeting with Kabuga in Iraq. Boris assigns his colleague, MI6 agent Michele Menuhin to track Ab'raam; unbeknownst to her, Boris has been secretly affiliated with Khureshi-Ab'raam nexus and leaks the information to Ab'raam.

In India, Govardhan's search leads him to Daniel Rawther, a friend of Stephen, who drugs and smuggles him New York. There, he discovers that Stephen has been living under his alternate identity, Khureshi Ab'raam. Stephen assures Govardhan of his return to India, before leaving to Iraq to eliminate Kabuga's syndicate with the help of Zayed. To deceive his enemies, he fakes his death, a story later reported by the NPTV channel, plunging Kerala's political landscape into uncertainty.

Priyadarshini, Jathin's sister, protests against the construction of a controversial check dam in Nedumpally. During a protest, she is attacked by unidentified assailants, but manages to escape into a forest, where she is rescued by Stephen, who has since returned to India. He convinces her to step forward as the IUF's new Chief Ministerial candidate. On the other hand, Jathin meets with Balraj and Munna, but is kidnapped and held hostage by Stephen until Priya is cleared of false money laundering charges – charges that were linked to Jathin's past crimes as the IUF president. In a flashback, it is revealed that Zayed fell into the hands of an extremist group that radicalizes children for terrorism. En-route to Pakistan, he was saved by Ab'raam, who took him under his wing and promised to help him seek revenge. Upon Priya's release, Stephen and Zayed orchestrate a final showdown against Balraj and Munna, at the site where Zayed's family were massacred, ultimately killing them and fulfilling Zayed's long awaited revenge.

With Balraj and Munna dead, Priyadarshini launches her political campaign. Meanwhile, Stephen gives Jathin an ultimatum: to support Priya's rise to power or face death. Jathin reluctantly agrees; however moments after boarding a helicopter, a bomb explodes, killing him instantly. Stephen receives a call from the leader of the Shen Triad, a powerful Afro-Chinese crime syndicate, that was aligned with Kabuga, who captures and kills Boris.

In the post-credits scene, the leader of the Shen triad expresses his interest in meeting Ab'raam, hinting towards and impending conflict. Seeking to uncover Stephen's past, he begins investigating how Stephen became Khureshi Ab'raam, leading to a trail revealing a much younger Stephen in 1981 Bombay.

Cast

Production

Development

No official announcement of a follow-up was made for Lucifer (2019), despite its open ending. The possibility of a continuation was confirmed by writer Murali Gopy in an interview in April 2019, shortly after the release of Lucifer. He clarified that "Lucifer is definitely designed as a franchise, and it is very evident from its structure and progression."[8] The official announcement of a second film and its title took place during a press conference on 18 June 2019. Shedding light on the meaning of the title, Prithviraj Sukumaran said that Empuraan signifies "someone who is more than a king, but less than a god", with a more literal translation being "overlord". Murali revealed that Lucifer was conceived as a series right from its inception. The success of the first film gave them confidence to proceed with L2: Empuraan, said Prithviraj. Production was planned to commence in the second half of 2020.[9]

In September 2019, Prithviraj further revealed that L2: Empuraan is part of a three-film series.[10] The trilogy was originally envisioned as a three-season web series, the first season was transformed into the film Lucifer, while the second and third seasons were adapted for the subsequent instalments.[11] Prithviraj clarified that L2: Empuraan does not continue the story of Lucifer but rather delves into the events that occurred before and after it, and that they have built "a franchise structure that visits every aspect of the story".[12] Murali hinted that L2: Empuraan would unveil more layers of the narrative.[9] Although it maintains continuity, the film was conceived as a standalone entry, not requiring viewers to have seen the first film.[13]

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 led to the postponement of the production.[14] In September 2020, Murali presented a comprehensive design brief of L2: Empuraan to Prithviraj, who stated that it assisted him in visualising an edited and colour-corrected version of the film.[15] Pre-production, that was set to begin in 2021, was again delayed due to the pandemic.[16] In the meantime, Prithviraj directed another film, Bro Daddy (2022), in the third quarter of 2021.[17] In October 2021, Prithviraj disclosed that they were still waiting for the pandemic situation to subside, as they could not proceed with location scouting under that situation and expressed hope to start filming by mid-2022.[18]

In 2022, Murali revealed plans to "scale up the magnitude and scope" of L2: Empuraan.[19] He was in the process of writing the screenplay in May 2022,[20] which he completed that month.[21] In July, Prithviraj announced the completion of L2: Empuraan's final script and informed lead actor Mohanlal and producer Antony Perumbavoor.[22] The following month, the team officially announced through social media that they had entered the pre-production phase, "we are starting the actual process of making the film from today (17 August 2022)", wrote Prithviraj. Murali categorised L2: Empuraan as a second instalment rather than a sequel. Prithviraj described the film as a "commercial entertainer".[23] In September 2023, the Tamil film production company Lyca Productions announced their involvement in the production of L2: Empuraan, marking their debut in Malayalam cinema, along with Aashirvad Cinemas, the producer of Lucifer. Additionally, Prithviraj's company Prithviraj Productions is credited for "project design".[24] In March 2025, Sree Gokulam Movies joined the project as a co-producer, reportedly due to a financial dispute between Lyca Productions and Aashirvad Cinemas.[25][26]

Casting

Mohanlal reprises his role of Khureshi Ab'raam/Stephen Nedumpally. During the film's announcement, it was revealed that Prithviraj's character Zayed Masood would have more prominence in Empuraan.[9] Prithviraj said that Zayed's role in Stephen's life is bigger than what was shown in Lucifer.[12] Several actors from Lucifer return to reprise their roles—Tovino Thomas, Manju Warrier, Indrajith Sukumaran, Saikumar, Fazil, Baiju Santhosh, Saniya Iyappan, Sachin Khedekar, Shivaji Guruvayoor, Nandhu, Nyla Usha, and Giju John, among others.[27] Kalabhavan Shajohn, whose character Aloshy Joseph was killed off in Lucifer, made an unannounced appearance in the trailer. Following this, he personally confirmed his presence in the film.[28]

In a December 2023 interview, Abhimanyu Singh confirmed his role as the antagonist opposite Mohanlal.[29] Describing his character, Singh stated, "Balraj is a really complex character. He is not just one thing. There are many layers to him."[30] Suraj Venjaramoodu portrays politician Sajanachandran. He revealed that he personally expressed his desire to be cast in the film while working with Prithviraj on the sets of Driving Licence.[31] Karthikeya Dev, who portrayed the younger version of Prithviraj's character in Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire, was similarly cast as the younger Masood (Prithviraj).[32] Nikhat Khan appears as Subhadra Ben, a regal woman who owns a haveli. Prithviraj revealed that at the time of casting, he was unaware she was Aamir Khan's sister and selected her based solely on her audition.[33] Sukant Goel plays Munna, an accomplice to Balraj in his crimes and political career.

British-Romanian actress Andrea Tivadar joined the cast as Michele Menuhin, an SAS operative working for MI6 and tasked with pursuing Ab'raam.[34] British actor Jerome Flynn was cast as Boris Oliver, a significant figure in Ab'raam's journey.[35] French actor Eriq Ebouaney plays Kabuga, a character with negative shades.[36] Prithviraj revealed that several foreign actors they had initially considered were unable to sign due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, "we were in limbo for a while and kept waiting, but the strike just would not end and we had to move on". As a result, the team restarted the casting process with non-SAG-AFTRA actors.[37]

There were speculations about American actor Rick Yune's involvement, but his casting remained undisclosed until the film's release. Yune portrays Shenlong Shen, the leader of the Shen Triad, a rival syndicate to Ab'raam's Indo-Arab nexus.[38] Similarly, Pranav Mohanlal's role was kept under wraps, only revealed through a flashback scene in which he plays a young Stephen.[39] The other new additions include Manikuttan, Kishore, Satyajit Sharma, Oziel Jivani, Aishwarya Ojha, Nayan Bhatt, Shubhangi Latkar, and Behzaad Khan.[27]

Filming

Following a six-month-long location scouting process in India, which concluded in February 2023, the film crew embarked on a recce across several international locations.[40] Principal photography was originally scheduled to commence on 15 August,[41] however, it was postponed after Prithviraj sustained an injury on the sets of Vilayath Buddha.[42] Production eventually began with a customary muhurtam shot on 5 October in Faridabad on the outskirts of Delhi and Haryana. It primarily featured foreign actors and extras. Filming was moved to Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, following a day of shooting in Faridabad.[43][44] Filming also took place in Leh, Ladakh.[45] The first schedule was completed in Ladakh on 28 October.[46]

The crew began location scouting in the United Kingdom in November 2023.[47] The location scouting process for the entire film spanned 18 months.[48] The second schedule started in the UK in January 2024[49] and concluded later that month.[50] In late February, filming shifted to the United States,[51] covering various locations including New York, New Mexico, Louisiana, San Francisco, and Atlanta.[52][53] This schedule featured the principal cast members, Mohanlal, Tovino, Prithviraj, and Indrajith, and continued until the second week of March.[54] By this time, approximately 20 percent of the film had been completed.[55] The subsequent phase of production began in April on specially constructed sets in Chennai,[56] concluding within the same month.[57] This phase involved Mohanlal, Tovino, Warrier, and Saniya.[58]

By May, the production had moved to Thiruvananthapuram, where scenes were filmed at two schools with the participation of 2,000 extras, along with cast members Warrier, Suraj, Saikumar, Baiju, and Nandhu.[59] In June, the crew filmed in Kochi,[60] before relocating to Gujarat by mid-June for the longest schedule of the production.[61][62] The Gujarat schedule included scenes depicting Zayed's younger years, with Mohanlal joining the shoot.[63] Filming took place at a palace and on custom-built sets, covering both past and present timelines. However, heavy downpour caused delays.[64] Production resumed in Rajkot during the fourth week of September.[65][66] The team shifted to Hyderabad in October for a brief schedule, reportedly at Ramoji Film City.[67][68]

Later in October, the production team returned to Thiruvananthapuram.[69] Filming was held at Kanakakkunnu Palace, The Leela Kovalam, Adimalathura Beach, and Pallippuram. This phase concluded within the same month.[70] Additional scenes were shot in places such as Thammanam, Kuttikkanam, and Vandiperiyar during October. In November, the production moved to the United Arab Emirates and Mumbai before returning to Kerala to film in Ernakulam, Chalakudy, and Palakkad. Filming was wrapped on 1 December 2024, on the banks of the Malampuzha Reservoir, marking the conclusion of 14 months of production.[71][72] Empuraan was completed in 145 days, which was 28 days shorter than the originally planned schedule.[73]

Empuraan was filmed using the anamorphic format with a 2.8:1 aspect ratio, ensuring visual consistency with the first film.[74] Prithviraj confirmed the third installment will follow the same approach.[75] He mostly utilised practical effects for the action sequences.[76][77] The fight sequences were choreographed by Stunt Silva.[42] Sujith Vaassudev and Mohandas were retained as the cinematographer and art director, respectively.[40] Nirmal Sahadev served as the film's creative director.[78] Suresh Balaje and George Pius of Wide Angle Creations served as the film's line producers.[79]

Music

The film's original soundtrack was composed by Deepak Dev, a frequent collaborator of Prithviraj.[80] Composer Jakes Bejoy has sung a song. Usha Uthup has recorded a track. It features a theme song by Prarthana Indrajith which has English-language lyrics written by Prithviraj.[81] The first single, "Phir Zinda" was released on 25 March 2025.[82] The second single, "Kaavalaai Chekavar" was released on 29 March 2025. The third single titled "Azrael" was released on 3 April 2025.

Track listing
No.TitleLyricsSinger(s)Length
1."Phir Zinda"Tanishk NabarAnand Sreeraj5:34
2."Kaavalaai Chekavar"Murali GopyJob Kurian4:04
3."Azrael"Murali GopyUsha Uthup4:52
4."The Devil's Arrival"InstrumentalAnand Sreeraj1:36
5."The Jungle Pwoli - Kadavule Pole Reprise"Jeff J. Panikulam, Rhyko, LoganJakes Bejoy, Anand Sreeraj3:37
6."Empuraane"Vinayak SasikumarAnand Sreeraj, Alankrita Menon Prithviraj2:46
7."L2: Empuraan Teaser Theme"Prithviraj SukumaranPrarthana Indrajith2:19
8."L2: Empuraan Trailer Theme"InstrumentalAnand Sreeraj, Alankrita M. Sukumaran3:52

Marketing

Within a week of wrapping production, the team confirmed that the first cut was finished and that post-production was progressing at a brisk pace.[83] The release date was announced on Kerala Piravi with a poster featuring a mysterious figure dressed in white and adorned with a red Dragon, which sparked widespread discussion among fans regarding the identity and background of the character.[84][85] Birthday posters were released for Mohanlal as Khureshi Abraam, Prithviraj as Zayed Masood and Indrajith as Govardhan, the latter two characters reportedly having more prominent screen presence with regards to the first instalment.[86][87] The film's teaser was released on 26 January 2025 in Kochi, coinciding with the Indian Republic Day.[88][89]

Similarly to Lucifer, an 18-day character reveal campaign revealing the 36 principal cast members was launched as part of the film's promotional strategy. The campaign began on 9 February 2025 and concluded on 28 February 2025.[90] The film's trailer was released on 20 March 2025.[91]

The marketing for the film reportedly used shock marketing by incorporating provocative themes like the 2002 Gujarat riots and the Mullaperiyar dam dispute. This sparked controversy, boosting its ₹70 crore first-week earnings. While some called it a publicity stunt, others credited its success to audience resonance. The buzz amplified visibility, drawing crowds and showcasing shock marketing's impact.[92][93]

Release

Theatrical

In November 2022, while the film was in pre-production, Prithviraj stated that they have not decided on a release date for the film.[94] Beside its original release in Malayalam, the film would be released in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi languages.[95] The film is also marketed with the short title L2E by the makers and was theatrically released on 27 March 2025, coinciding the sixth anniversary of Lucifer.[96][97][98] It is also the first Malayalam film to be released in IMAX and EPIQ formats.[99][100]

Distribution

AA Films acquired the distribution rights for North India.[101] Dil Raju acquired the distribution rights for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana under his banner Sri Venkateswara Creations.[102] Hombale Films acquired the distribution rights for Karnataka. Sree Gokulam Movies will distribute the film in Tamil Nadu through its own distribution network.[101]

The overseas rights for the film, excluding the GCC and US, were acquired by Cyber Systems Australia.[citation needed] Phars Film distributed the film in the GCC regions. Aashirvad Hollywood and Prime Media acquired the distribution rights in the USA.[103][104] RFT Entertainment acquired the distribution rights in the UK and Europe.[citation needed]

Home media

The film will began streaming on Disney+ Hotstar from 24 April 2025 in Malayalam and dubbed versions of Tamil, Telugu and Kannada languages.[105]

Pre-sales

Pre sales began in overseas from 18 March 2025. In Australia, the film generated pre-sales of more than $100,000 for its opening day, surpassing The Goat Life with $69,590 on day 1. In Germany, the film generated €50,000 on its opening day, as no Malayalam film has opened above €10,000 with the highest opener previously held by The Goat Life which had an opening weekend of €45,000.[106] In India, pre-sales began from 21 March 2025. The film registered the highest hourly pre-sales ever recorded in Indian cinema, with 96,140 tickets sold per hour on BookMyShow.[107][108][109] As of 2 PM on 21 March 2025, the film sold 3,10,000 tickets on BookMyShow across all Indian theatres; the highest for a Malayalam film surpassing The Goat Life which sold 3,09,000 tickets in advance bookings.[110][111] In Canada, the film made $500,000 in advance bookings by 23 March 2025.[112]

The film will be screening in Ragam Theatre in Thrissur for a 24-hour continuous run from 27 March 6 AM to 31 March 4 AM. As of 10 PM on Sunday 24 March 2025, the film's weekend worldwide advance sales surpassed ₹53 crore. In Germany, its four-day weekend advance booking exceeded €251,000 surpassing Pushpa 2. In Australia, the film made pre-sales of more than $601,000 by 24 March 2025.[113] By 26 March 2025 with over 1.1 million tickets sold on BookMyShow, it is among India's highest pre-release ticket sales films. With 11.29 lakh pre-sales, it surpassed other major releases such as Jawan, Salaar, and Animal.[114] The film headed for its release with the final pre-sales closing at ₹85 crore worldwide for the opening weekend (27– 30 March), with ₹36 crore from India and ₹49 crore from overseas. For the opening day, the film made over ₹52.50 crore worldwide, in just advance bookings. In Kerala, the film made over ₹12.40 crore in advance bookings for the opening day, surpassing Leo that earlier attained the top spot at the Kerala opening day box-office.[115]

Reception

Critical response

S. R. Praveen of The Hindu wrote that "Mohanlal, rich production design fail to save this sequel".[116] Anna Mathews of Times of India gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote that "L2: Empuraan doesn't quite match the punch of Lucifer".[117] Ganesh Aaglave of Firstpost gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote "Mohanlal & Prithviraj Sukumaran starrer action-thriller is high on swag, charisma & technical brilliance".[118] Pooja Pillai of Eastern Eye wrote that "Despite its storytelling flaws, the film remains a grand theatrical spectacle best experienced on the big screen with all its cinematic flair."[119] Sanjith Sidhardhan of OTTplay gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote "Prithviraj Sukumaran elevates the stakes with an ambitious but less nuanced follow-up to Lucifer".[120] Sajin Shrijith of the The Week rated 3/5 and wrote, "The second chapter of 'Lucifer' is too pre-occupied with eyeball-catching visualisation than storytelling prowess, and suffers a little as a result."[121]

Goutham S of Pinkvilla gave 4/5 stars and wrote "Mohanlal starrer acts as mirror to socio-political narrative with string of new foes lining up to vanquish Khureshi".[122] BVS Prakash of Deccan Chronicle gave 2.5/5 stars and wrote that "L2: Empuraan struggles to match the impact of its predecessor but remains an intriguing watch for fans of Lucifer".[123] Janani K of India Today gave 3/5 stars and wrote "Director Prithviraj Sukumaran's L2: Empuraan is a fitting sequel to Lucifer. Mounted on a grand scale, the film displays convenient writing but makes up with stunning visuals."[124] Anandu Suresh of The Indian Express gave 3/5 stars and wrote "Prithviraj Sukumaran's Mohanlal-starrer is certainly not another run-of-the-mill pan-Indian film that exists solely to scream "look what our star can do!".[125] Kirubhankar Purushothaman of News18 gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote "Prithviraj Effectively Scales Up Mohanlal's Lucifer To Greater Heights".[126]

Rohit Panikker of Times Now gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote "L2: Empuraan is a befitting addition to the Lucifer universe, and entertains you through and through despite its extra run-time and extensive world-building."[127] Bollywood Hungama gave 3/5 stars and wrote "L2: Empuraan boasts mass appeal, grandeur, and stellar performances."[128] Arjun Menon of Rediff gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote "L2: Empuraan is an ambitious sequel that is bigger, bolder and timid in equal measure".[129] Pratyusha Sista of Telangana Today wrote "L2: Empuraan is a gripping political thriller that delivers on all fronts—story, action, and performances. It's a well-connected sequel that avoids unnecessary drama, keeping audiences hooked for the entire 180-minute runtime. Whether you're a Lucifer fan or a newcomer, this film is a must-watch in theatres for its larger-than-life experience".[130]

Box office

On its opening day, the film grossed ₹65 crore worldwide, which was the highest opening day gross for a Malayalam film.[131] The film continued to gross ₹34 crore on its second day, hence crossing the ₹100 crore mark in 2 days.[132][133] Empuraan moved on towards its first weekend grossing ₹35 crore on Saturday and ₹38 crore on Sunday to a worldwide gross of ₹174 crore (4 days).[134]

In five days, the film grossed ₹53.05 crore in Kerala. It crossed ₹200 crore within the same period. The film grossed ₹228.75 crore completing its first week of run[135] also taking its 7-day Kerala gross to ₹68.50 crore.[136] On its 9th day of release, it surpassed Manjummel Boys to become the All Time top grossing Malayalam film.[137] Business Today reported the film crossed ₹250 crore globally in 9 days, while Pinkvilla stated it in 11 days.[138][139] The film earned ₹103 crore net and ₹120 crore gross in India, amassing a global total of ₹262.75 crore in its first 16 days, including ₹142 crore from overseas markets.[140]

The film's controversies have boosted its box office performance, with people going to theatres to watch the original version before the re-edited one starts to premiere.[141]

Themes and analysis

L2: Empuraan delves into themes of power, identity, and vengeance, interweaving Kerala's political turbulence with elements of global crime. The film follows Khureshi Ab’raam (Mohanlal) as he navigates a dual persona, while Zayed Masood (Prithviraj Sukumaran) embarks on a quest for retribution connected to the fictionalized 2002 Gujarat riots. Its socio-political commentary—featuring a Hindutva-inspired antagonist and depictions of communal violence—has sparked controversy, resulting in scene cuts due to backlash from right-wing groups. Nevertheless, some critics have praised the film for its bold stance against communalism. While critics recognized the film's technical prowess and Mohanlal's compelling performance, they noted that the writing lacked consistency, with the "L" motif's symbolism seen as overly heavy-handed. As a midpoint in the trilogy, L2: Empuraan presents a divisive mix of spectacle and depth.[121][142]

Piracy

Shortly after its theatrical release on March 27, 2025, a pirated copy of Empuraan began circulating on notorious websites and Telegram groups, prompting swift action from the film's team.[143] The Kerala Film Producers' Association intensified its anti-piracy efforts in response to the leak of high-definition (HD) prints of the film. In a press release, the association announced the appointment of ethical hackers to monitor and track piracy activities using advanced digital tracking tools, with a focus on identifying individuals downloading pirated versions.[144][145] The association also urged the government to establish a special team to enforce copyright laws and address the growing issue of illegal distribution of theatrical and HD prints of new releases. Antony Perumbavoor, the film's producer, filed a complaint with the Kerala cyber police, which subsequently launched an investigation into the unauthorized online distribution. Filmmakers highlighted piracy as a significant concern, particularly for pan-Indian and global releases like Empuraan.[146]

In a related development, on April 2, 2025, Kerala police sealed an internet cafe in Pappinisseri, Kannur, after discovering it was involved in downloading and distributing a pirated version of the movie. The operation followed a tip-off received by the social media monitoring cell of Kannur City Police, leading to a joint investigation by local police and the cyber cell that uncovered the pirated file. The café was shut down, and authorities indicated that a case would be registered, though no arrests were reported at the time.[147][148]

Sequel

As announced by the team, Lucifer is a trilogy, implying the existence of a third film as a continuation of the series. During a September 2019 event, Prithviraj mentioned that the third film will explore a much darker theme in the series.[149] In January 2025, while talking about the cinematographic techniques used in L2: Empuraan, Prithviraj confirmed that the same would be used in the third film as well.[75]

In the post-credits scene, the third installment in the trilogy, L3: The Beginning, was announced.[150] The film's story would revolve around the conflict between Khureshi Abr'aam and the leader of the Shen triad group, played by Rick Yune.[151]

Controversies

Following its release, the film was met with immediate criticism from right-wing political groups like Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), who objected towards the name of the villain as well as the portrayal of a Hindutva leaders, as the antagonist. One of the antagonistic characters in the movie is named "Baba Bajrangi", which some viewers have interpreted as an allusion to Bajrang Dal leader Babu Bajrangi, a convicted figure involved in the 2002 Gujarat riots who was sentenced to life imprisonment for masterminding the Naroda Patiya massacre.[152] Mohanlal, who holds the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Indian Army, has faced criticism for acting in the film, with people calling for his rank to be revoked.[153][154] The film was criticized by RSS mouthpiece Organizer as using the 2002 Gujarat riots to push an "anti-Hindu political agenda."[155][156]

Tamil Nadu Rajya Sabha MP Vaiko demands a ban on the film or removal of scenes about the Mullaperiyar Dam, citing safety and misrepresentation concerns.[157] The film portrays the dam as "Nedumpally dam" and shows it at risk of collapsing.[158][159] Former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam also criticized the film, arguing it could harm relations between Tamil Nadu and Kerala.[157][160]

On April 4, the Tamil Nadu Assembly debated the film's controversy. Water Resources Minister Durai Murugan expressed concerns about a scene, despite not having seen the film. Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M K Stalin noted that the film had passed censorship without objections, with protests emerging only after its release.[161]

On April 4, 2025, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided Gokulam Gopalan's offices in Chennai and Kochi, a producer of L2: Empuraan, over alleged Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) violations. The raids, amid the film's existing controversies over its depiction of the 2002 Gujarat riots and right-wing politics, fueled speculation of a link to its content.[162] However, ED officials clarified that the raid concerns FEMA violations, not the film controversy. This added further complexity to the ongoing debates and protests surrounding the movie.[163][164][165] The current raids are part of investigation into the suspected money laundering through exaggerated collection reports of films produced and distributed by his firm, Sree Gokulam Movies.[166]

As part of an investigation into alleged financial irregularities, the ED seized ₹1.5 crore in cash and incriminating documents during searches at 10 locations across Tamil Nadu and Kerala.[167][168][169][170] The investigation intensified following the seizures.[167]

Followed by the controversy, the Income Tax Department issued a notice to actor and filmmaker Prithviraj Sukumaran regarding discrepancies in the payment details of films co-produced by him. The notice seeks clarification on certain aspects of his income declarations related to these productions.[171]

The ED had also issued a notice to producer Antony Perumbavoor, seeking detailed clarification regarding financial transactions linked to Lucifer Franchise and Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea.[172] The notice specifically addresses overseas distribution rights and an alleged payment made to Mohanlal in Dubai.[173]

Re-edit

Due to the controversies surrounding the film, the makers announced over 17 voluntary changes in the film including edits to riots sequences, portrayal of violence against women, the antagonist's name as well as muting of some of the dialogues.[174] Subsequently, three minute of visuals were said to be removed for exhibitions with effect from 31 March.[175] Confirming the changes to film, Mohanlal expressed 'regret' for the political and social themes in the film and said that it is his duty as an artist to ensure that none of his films harbor hatred towards any political movement, ideology, or religious sect.[176][177]

However two days later, 24 cuts amounting to 2 minutes and 8 seconds of visuals were certified by the CBFC, with changes made to various scenes, character names, and visuals.[178]

In the re-censored version of the film was re-released on April 2, significant changes were made to address sensitive content. One of the major alterations involved the character of Balraj, alias Baba Bajrangi, the antagonist who leads a mob. This character, originally resembling Bajrang Dal leader Babu Bajrangi—who was sentenced to life imprisonment for his involvement in the 2002 Gujarat Riots—has been renamed Baldev. Additionally, the display card that originally stated "India 2002" has been changed to "a few years ago" to avoid direct reference to the 2002 riots. Several graphic visuals, including those of vehicles passing in front of a religious structure, violence against women, and dead bodies during riot scenes, have been removed. A conversation between a young Zayed Masood (played by director Prithviraj Sukumaran) and his father during the riots was also cut.[179][180][181]

Further cuts were made to remove references to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), particularly in scenes where the agency was shown as being misused by the ruling party to target political opponents. Audio mutes were employed to eliminate any mention of the NIA. The "Special Thanks" section of the film credits also saw some changes, with the names of actor and Union Minister of State for Petroleum Suresh Gopi and IRS officer Jyothis Mohan being removed.[182][183]

While the re-edited version is intended for screening in India, the uncut version of the film will continue to be shown internationally. However, the streaming release, via JioHotstar, will incorporate the same cuts made for the theatrical domestic version.[184]

Notes

  1. ^ The original runtime of the film was 179 minutes.[1] However, due to controversy the film was re-edited and trimmed by around 2 minutes.[2][3]

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