Sun Mar 30 07:45:36 UTC 2025: ## Mohanlal Apologizes, Cuts Scenes from Controversial Film “L2 Empuraan” Amidst Political Row

**KOCHI, INDIA** – Superstar Mohanlal has issued a public apology and announced significant cuts to his latest film, “L2 Empuraan,” following a major controversy sparked by its alleged references to the 2002 Gujarat riots. The movie, a sequel to the successful “Lucifer,” has already crossed ₹100 crore globally in just two days, but its depiction of sensitive events ignited a firestorm of criticism.

The actor, in a Facebook post shared by director Prithviraj Sukumaran, expressed regret for the offense caused, stating that the production team had decided to remove scenes that “harbour hatred towards any political movement, idea or religion.” Producer Gokulam Gopalan confirmed 17 cuts would be made, including removing scenes depicting violence against women and riots, changing the name of an antagonist, and muting certain dialogues. Gopalan stated that while the film had already cleared censorship, these changes were made to avoid hurting the sentiments of certain groups.

The controversy has drawn diverse reactions from the political spectrum. While the BJP has stopped short of organized protests, state party chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar expressed his disappointment and announced he would not watch the film. BJP Yuva Morcha’s K Ganesh went further, demanding an investigation into Prithviraj’s alleged foreign connections, labelling his actions “anti-national.” The RSS, in its mouthpiece Organiser, criticized the film as “a disturbing, divisive tale disguised as cinema.”

Conversely, the Congress party defended the film, highlighting the hypocrisy of BJP’s reaction given its acceptance of films critical of the Congress. Senior CPM leader and Kerala minister V Sivankutty emphasized that the 2002 riots are a part of Indian history and that censorship would not erase this. He underscored the importance of freedom of expression.

The revised version of “L2 Empuraan” is set to release in theaters next week. Mohanlal’s apology and the subsequent edits mark a significant development in this ongoing saga, highlighting the delicate balance between artistic expression and social sensitivity in the Indian film industry.

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