As the film L2 Empuraan faces re-censorship with 17 additional cuts aimed at eliminating 'offensive' scenes related to the Gujarat riots, director Prithviraj Sukumaran's mother has publicly defended him, asserting that certain individuals are attempting to portray him as a 'scapegoat' in this controversy.

Mallika Sukumaran defends son Prithviraj

On Sunday, Mallika Sukumaran expressed her discontent on Facebook regarding the criticism directed at her son, particularly allegations that Prithviraj had misled superstar Mohanlal and the film's producers.

"This is a mother's anguish. It serves no purpose for anyone to mock me for speaking out. Neither Mohanlal nor the producers have accused Prithviraj of deceit. I doubt they ever will. Mohanlal is like a younger brother to me; I have known him since childhood. He has commended my son on numerous occasions. It is disheartening that some individuals are attempting to make my son a scapegoat without the knowledge of either Lal or the producers. Director Prithviraj has not deceived anyone involved with this film or any other. He would never do such a thing," she stated.

Mallika clarified that Prithviraj did not mislead anyone, asserting that the narrative and tone of the story were known to the entire team, including writer Murali Gopy and star Mohanlal, who participated in script revisions throughout the process.

"If there are any issues with the film Empuraan, then the entire team shares responsibility. They all reviewed the script together and witnessed the scenes being filmed collectively, agreeing on them. If any scenes required editing during production, writer Murali Gopy was always open to making changes. Therefore, how can Prithviraj be held solely accountable when everything was finalized and the film was released?" she wrote.

She emphasized that both Mohanlal and the producers were aware of "every shot" in the film, negating any claims that they were caught off guard by the final version. "I want to clarify that there is not a single shot in Empuraan that either of them (Mohanlal or the producers) was unaware of. There is nothing in this film that Mohanlal does not know. Neither of them would claim ignorance regarding any aspect of the film," she added.

The L2 Empuraan controversy and Mohanlal's apology

The film's portrayal of the Gujarat riots has sparked controversy, particularly regarding scenes that depict violence against Muslims perpetrated by a mob of Hindu extremists. The character of Baba Bajrangi, portrayed by Abhimanyu Singh, is depicted as a hardliner who transitions from a rioter to a politician. Right-wing organizations have criticized the film as being agenda-driven and accused it of misrepresenting facts, while the Congress party has expressed its support for the film.

Speculation arose regarding Mohanlal's awareness of certain elements in the film after the renowned actor issued an unconditional apology for specific scenes on Sunday. He recognized that some aspects of the film had upset a portion of his fanbase and assured them that the production team had opted to eliminate those references.

In light of the controversy, the production team of Empuraan has announced plans to revise the film. Reports indicate that 17 scenes, including those depicting riot sequences and violence against women, will be removed.

L2 Empuraan box office performance

L2: Empuraan has attained significant box office success, despite facing criticism. Released in theaters on March 27, the film has set a record as the quickest Malayalam movie to earn ₹100 crore globally and is now approaching the ₹150 crore milestone.

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