Yuhanon Meletius, the metropolitan bishop of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church’s Thrissur Diocese, has issued an unflinching condemnation of Hindutva forces in response to the ongoing hate campaign against the super-hit film L2: Empuraan.
In a Facebook post on Monday, the senior Christian leader accused Hindutva groups of orchestrating a hate campaign against the movie and its makers, framing it as part of a broader pattern of violence and intolerance.
“They killed Gandhi, wiped out Khandhamal, massacred thousands in Gujarat, demolished Babri Masjid, killed many in Manipur and now they have killed a movie. The murders continue…” Yuhanon Meletius wrote, directly implicating Hindutva ideology in a lineage of atrocities, including the campaign against Empuraan.
L2: Empuraan, directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran and starring Mohanlal, has faced relentless attacks from Hindutva groups since whispers of its politically charged content surfaced. The film, a sequel to the 2019 hit Lucifer, reportedly contains themes and scenes that challenge Hindu nationalist narratives.
Following a massive hate campaign by Hindutva social media handles, Sangh Parivar leaders, and right-wing mouthpieces over the portrayal of the Gujarat Muslim genocide and the Naroda Patiya massacre, the producers of the super-hit film starring Mohanlal, L2: Empuraan, have reportedly instructed the filmmaker to remove the Gujarat genocide scenes.
Actor Mohanlal has issued a statement acknowledging that certain aspects of the film had caused distress to some of his fans and assured that the team had decided to remove such references.
“As an artist, it is my duty to ensure that none of my films promote hatred toward any political movement, ideology, or religious community. With that in mind, both I and the Empuraan team sincerely regret any distress this may have caused my dear well-wishers,” Mohanlal wrote in a statement posted on social media. He added that the responsibility for this rests with the entire team behind the film.
Upset over the film’s portrayal of incidents—including the 2002 Gujarat Muslim genocide (though not named), Hindutva forces’ attempts to gain a foothold in Kerala, and the misuse of government agencies to silence opponents—Hindutva groups have launched a hate campaign against Empuraan.
This includes mass ticket cancellations of the movie, which has set a new record for Malayalam cinema, becoming the first film in the industry to sell over 1 million advance tickets on the online ticketing platform BookMyShow.
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) mouthpiece Organiser criticised the Malayalam film and accused it of using the backdrop of the 2002 Gujarat genocide to push an “anti-Hindu political agenda.” It also stated that Prithviraj was a deeply polarising figure. Many, including the BJP youth wing Yuva Morcha’s state leadership in Kerala, launched a fresh hate campaign against Prithviraj, claiming that he has links with international terrorist groups.
The movie L2: Empuraan features a character named Baba Bajrangi, portrayed by Abhimanyu Singh, who has sparked discussion about possible real-life inspirations. Babu Bajrangi, whose real name is Babubhai Patel, was a Bajrang Dal leader convicted for his role in the 2002 Naroda Patiya massacre during the Gujarat genocide.
In Empuraan, Baba Bajrangi is depicted as a Hindu nationalist politician involved in communal violence in 2002, which bears similarities to the Gujarat genocide. The character leads a mob responsible for significant bloodshed, including a subplot involving the massacre of a Muslim family, which many viewers link to the real-life events Babu Bajrangi was associated with.
The edit is expected to be completed in the coming days, with the uncut version of the film continuing its theatrical run in the meantime.
According to reports, the film’s producers have decided to implement 17 cuts, along with muting certain dialogues. Additionally, the name of the antagonist, Baba Bajrangi, will be altered.
In response to the hate campaign, the filmmakers, including Aashirvad Cinemas, have voluntarily submitted a revised version of the movie for re-censorship.
Meanwhile, the movie has surpassed ₹200 crore in just five days, claimed the producers.
