As a filmmaker, Prithviraj Sukumaran strongly believes that selecting the right cast accounts for 50% of his responsibilities. Therefore, when he was finalizing the cast for his directorial project, Empuraan, he had a specific list of international actors he was eager to include. This list featured prominent names from both the UK and the US; however, just as they were on the verge of finalizing contracts, the SAG-AFTRA strike occurred, leading to the closure of their offices.

From SAG to non-SAG actors for Empuraan

Transitioning from SAG to non-SAG actors for Empuraan posed a challenge for Prithviraj, as all the actors he had shortlisted were affiliated with SAG. He remarked to NDTV, “We found ourselves in a state of uncertainty, waiting for the strike to conclude, but it persisted, forcing us to adapt. Consequently, we had to restart the entire casting process, this time focusing solely on non-SAG actors.” One actor he had always hoped to cast was Jerome Flynn, renowned for his role as Bronn in Game of Thrones.

Fortunately for Prithviraj, Jerome was not signed with SAG. “Jerome portrays Boris Oliver in Empuraan. After I narrated the story to him, he grasped our vision perfectly. He is an incredibly easy actor to collaborate with—truly professional and a wonderful person,” the actor-director noted. The international cast of Empuraan also features Eriq Ebouaney, Alexx O'Nell, Mikhail Novikov, and Andrea Tivadar.

In anticipation of Empuraan's release, Prithviraj created an extensive character introduction sequence, showcasing 36 characters from the film. He mentioned that there are many more characters to be unveiled when the film premieres in theaters on March 27, 2025. Written by Murali Gopi, Empuraan serves as the second installment in the three-part Lucifer trilogy.

In the initial film, Mohanlal portrayed Stephen Nedumpally, a character shrouded in mystery. In contrast, Empuraan delves into this enigma, unveiling his identity as Khureshi Ab’raam. The film, which runs for three hours, is produced by Antony Perumbavoor, Gokulam Gopalan, and Subaskaran Allirajah, with a musical score composed by Deepak Dev.

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