Thiruvananthapuram: RSS mouthpiece Organiser persisted with stinging taunts on Malayalam film actor-director Prithviraj Sukumaran for the third day over the narrative of his film Empuraan, which has enraged the right-wing activists. 

The magazine's latest article called him the voice of anti-nationals and stated that Prithviraj was among the prominent figures behind the ‘Save Lakshadweep’ campaign. This campaign sought to oppose the progressive measures introduced by the Union government to modernise the islands, portraying them in a communal light.

The magazine also cited several of Prithviraj’s social media posts to support its allegations. The article further listed his stance in various protests against the BJP-led government, including the agitation over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) at Jamia Millia Islamia University in Delhi. It also criticised his brother, Indrajith Sukumaran, for supporting a student who confronted the Delhi police during the CAA protests.

Terming Prithviraj’s role in the CAA protests “anti-Bharat,” the Organiser accused him of maintaining double standards on local issues, such as the Munambam land dispute, where hundreds of Christian families face eviction by the Wakf Board. "He speaks about the CAA but does not address Hindu persecution in Bangladesh," the article reads. 

The magazine also questioned Prithviraj’s intentions behind naming the main villain in Empuraan "Bajrangbali," another name for the Hindu god Hanuman.

'Empuraan', Prithviraj’s third directorial venture,  came under fire after the Sangh Parivar alleged that the film promotes an anti-Hindu and anti-national agenda. The film was slammed for its purported portrayal of right-wing politics in villainous shades. The widespread outrage sparked a heated political debate in Kerala. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan extended support to the filmmakers and lavished praise on Empuraan, saying that it has reference to one of the "most brutal genocides the country has ever witnessed". 

Amid the controversy, actor Mohanlal, who played the lead role, took to his Facebook page and issued an apology for hurting people's sentiments with the movie's content. The filmmakers have announced that a three-minute sequence related to the Gujarat riots has been removed, and the re-edited version will be released in theatres by Monday.