Prithviraj reposts Mohanlal’s 'Empuraan' apology note; receives mixed reactions

Actor-director Prithviraj reshared Mohanlal’s apology over the 'Empuraan' controversy, adding the hashtag #Empuraan. However, the response from fans was mixed, with many expressing disappointment. One comment read, "Raju, this wasn’t necessary. Is this really your stand? Disappointing."

Earlier, Mohanlal addressed the controversy, expressing regret over the distress caused to his audience. In a social media post, he stated that both he and the 'Empuraan' team sincerely regretted the discomfort experienced by his fans.

The backlash against Prithviraj’s decision to share Mohanlal’s statement was evident in the comments. One user wrote, "Prithviraj, why did you do this? And for whom? Mohanlal trusted you, Gokulam Gopalan supported you, and fans believed in you. 'Empuraan' was supposed to celebrate Mohanlal’s legacy, but now it feels like a well-planned move to sideline him. No preview shows, no transparency—was this just about creative vision, or was there a bigger game at play?"

On Sunday, Mohanlal issued an apology to his fans through a Facebook post, acknowledging that certain socio-political themes in 'Empuraan', the second instalment of the 'Lucifer' franchise, had caused significant distress to some of his fans. As an artist, he said it was his responsibility to ensure that none of his films promoted hatred towards any political movement, ideology, or religious group.

He further stated that both he and the 'Empuraan' team sincerely regretted the distress caused and accepted collective responsibility for it. As a result, they had decided to remove the controversial portions from the film.

Following criticism from BJP quarters, the film’s makers announced that edits would be made. The edited version will soon hit theatres, with scenes depicting violence against women and certain riot sequences being removed.