Prithiviraj Sukumaran's mother Mallika speaks out in support of son amid 'Empuraan' controversy

Thiruvananthapuram, March 30

Mallika, on Sunday, took to her Facebook account to share her disappointment over the criticism her son has been facing, particularly the claims that Prithviraj had allegedly 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.

In her post, Mallika also clarified that Prithviraj, who directed Empuraan, did not deceive anyone and that all key members of the project, including writer Murali Gopy, were involved in script approvals 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?" read a part of her post.

"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 added.

Earlier on Sunday, superstar Mohanlal issued a statement addressing concerns surrounding the film's political and social themes.

The actor acknowledged that certain aspects of the film had caused distress to some of his fans and assured them that the team had decided to remove such references.

"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," the actor wrote in a Facebook post.

"As an artist, it is my duty to ensure that none of my films promote hatred towards any political movement, ideology, or religious group. Therefore, both I and the Empuraan team express our sincere regret for the distress caused to my dear ones, and we all take responsibility for it, with the realization that such issues must be removed from the film," he wrote in Malayalam.

"For the past four decades, it is you, the audience, who have been a part of my cinematic journey. Your love and trust are my strength. I believe there is no Mohanlal beyond that," he added.

Meanwhile, the production team of Empuraan has announced that the film will undergo revisions in response to the controversy.

According to reports, 17 scenes, including those featuring riot sequences and depictions of violence against women, will be edited out.

Despite the backlash, 'L2: Empuraan' has achieved remarkable success at the box office. The film, which hit theatres on March 27, became the first Malayalam movie to gross Rs 80 crore worldwide on its opening weekend.

— ANI