No political pressure behind edits: Antony Perumbavoor on 'Empuraan' changes

'Empuraan' producer Antony Perumbavoor addressed the media regarding the ongoing controversies surrounding the film. He clarified that the decision to cut certain scenes was made by the team itself and was not influenced by political pressure.
"Edits are not made out of fear. We are part of society, and we do not intend to create films that hurt people. That is not how we operate. Neither Mohanlal sir, Prithviraj, nor I believe in doing that. If anyone was hurt by the film, it is our responsibility to address it. In such situations, it is the duty of the actor, the director, and the producer to step up, and we are doing so based on that belief," said Antony.

He further clarified that only two minutes and a few seconds had been removed and emphasized that the decision was made voluntarily. "We are doing this on our own and not due to pressure from anyone. Even in the future, if a similar situation arises, we will handle it with the same mindset. This decision was not influenced by any political parties, and the edited version is likely to hit theatres today," he confirmed.

When asked whether Mohanlal had watched the film, Antony dismissed claims suggesting otherwise. "All of us have watched the film, and the reports saying Mohanlal hasn’t seen it are false. This does not need to be turned into a major issue, the film is being well received nationwide," he added. He also confirmed that a third instalment in the franchise is in the works.

Earlier, 'Empuraan' faced backlash from right-wing organisations, including the RSS and BJP, over certain scenes. Following this, Malayalam superstar Mohanlal issued an apology to fans for any 'emotional distress' caused.

In a Facebook post, the actor stated that the team had decided to remove the controversial scenes.
"I understand that certain socio-political themes introduced in 'Empuraan', the sequel to the 'Lucifer' franchise, have caused considerable distress to some of my beloved fans. As an artist, it is my duty to ensure that none of my films promote hatred towards any political movement, ideology, or religious group.
"Therefore, the 'Empuraan' team and I sincerely regret any distress caused to our viewers. We acknowledge our collective responsibility for this and have decided to remove the scenes that were found objectionable," he wrote.