New Delhi:
Actor Prithviraj Sukumaran’s mother, Mallika Sukumaran, has come forward in defense of her son L2: Empuran,
On Sunday, Mallika resorted to Facebook to express her disappointment over the criticism directed by Prithviraj, especially alleging that she had misled superstar Mohanlal and the film’s makers.
“This is a mother’s pain. I have no meaning to make fun of it to speak openly about it. Neither Mohanlal nor producers have said that Prithviraj has cheated him. I don’t think they will ever say that Mohanlal is like my younger brother. I have been agreeing to people since childhood. Or the manufacturer’s director Prithviraj has not cheated any film or any film.
He further clarified that all the prominent members involved in the project, including the author Murali Gopi, were actively part of the script discussion and amendment.
“If you feel that there is a problem with the film Ampuran, everyone in this group is responsible for this. They all read the script together. They shot all the scenes together, and all agreed. If the scenes to be edited during the shoot were prepared to do so, then how could everything be completely and the film was released?” He said.
Mallika also said that Mohanlal and producers were fully informed about every aspect of the film.
“I want to clarify that there is not a single shot in Imapuran that none of the two knew about (Mohanlal or producer). There is nothing in this film that Mohanlal does not know. None of them would say that they were unaware of anything in the film,” he concluded.
Earlier on Sunday, Mohanlal released a statement addressing concerns about the political and social themes of the film.
Accepting that some aspects had created a crisis among fans, the actor assured that the team had decided to remove the controversial contexts.
“I think the second installment in the Lucifer Franchise, some political and social subjects involved in the Emapuran have created a crisis among many of my beloved people,” he has written in a Facebook post.
“As an artist, it is my duty to ensure that my films do not promote any political ideology or hatred towards religious groups. Keeping this in mind, the Emperan team and I regret any crisis honestly. We take collective responsibility and decided to remove such elements from the film.”
“For four decades, it is the love and belief of the audience that has shaped my cinematic journey. This remains my greatest strength,” he said.
In response to the controversy, the film’s production team has confirmed that Impuan Will have to undergo amendment. Reports show that 17 scenes depicting riots and violence against women will be edited.
Despite the backlash, L2: Empuran Has seen the success of the box office on a large scale. Released on March 27, the film became the first Malayalam film to cross the world around the world during its early weekends.
