Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Cultural Affairs Minister Saji Cherian on Monday defended the makers of the malayalam movie 'L2: Empuraan' after right-wing groups unleased a flurry of attacks against the film's plot and director Prithviraj Sukumaran. 

"It should be seen from a social point of view. There is no need to create confusion among people and run campaigns against it. Cinema is an art form made based on our freedom of expression," Saji Cherian said, adding that it is natural that movies come up with such strong topics. 

Urging people to watch the Mohanlal-starrer after viewing it in a theatre, the minister pointed out that he movie puts forward the idea that the nation is of paramount importance.

Sharing similar views, Industries Minister P Rajeev said that the film presents a bold concept that people can accept or reject. "The move to portray the makers of a film as anti-nationals over their objections to certain content cannot be accepted," he said. 

Since its release on March 27, ‘Empuraan’, the sequel to the 2019 blockbuster ‘Lucifer’, has faced backlash from BJP-RSS circles, accusing it of promoting anti-national and anti-Hindu narratives. The film’s portrayal of the 2002 Gujarat riots sparked severe criticism, cyberattacks, and political pressure.

Though the film industry had been generally silent over the raging social media trial against the 'Empuraan' team, actor Asif Ali and director Jeo Baby came out in support of them. Asif Ali pointed out that what everyone witnessed in recent days was the aftereffect of the overuse of social media platforms. "Cinema should be viewed as cinema. It is meant for entertainment. That is my viewpoint about films," he said.

When asked about the attack against Mohanlal over the movie, he said it is a new trend nowadays on social media to target someone and attack them. "Those who have no courage to criticise usually throw stones while hiding behind their social media handles. Only those who have suffered this social media attack at least once in life can understand how much pain it causes to us and those who love us," he said. 

Screenwriter-filmmaker of 'The Great Indian Kitchen' fame Jeo Baby said it is sad that the makers of the movie have reached a situation where they felt compelled to issue a 'regret post'. Jeo Baby said it is disappointing that artists and filmmakers have arrived at a situation where they must tender an apology to the authorities in power. He said he would like to appreciate filmmaker Prithviraj and scriptwriter Murali Gopy for bringing back to memory the horrors of a riot that had happened in the country years ago.

Award-winning writers N S Madhavan and Benyamin hailed the 'Empuraan' movie as a brave attempt on social media. "A phantom limb is the sensation that an amputated or missing limb is still present and can sometimes cause pain, itching, or movement feelings. #Empuraan cuts are going to be phantom limbs. What a brave movie!" Madhavan wrote on the social media platform X. 

However, senior BJP leader B Gopalakrishnan continued to attack the makers of the movie and even described Prithviraj's journalist wife, Supriya Menon, as an 'urban naxalite'. While speaking during a protest programme in Thrissur, the leader criticised the actor-filmmaker's mother, Mallika Sukumaran, who is herself a veteran actress, for posting a Facebook message supporting her son and criticising the critics of 'Empuraan'. "You (Mallika) have a person in your homeyour daughter-in-law. She is an urban Naxalite," he alleged, indirectly urging her to control the daughter-in-law.

The reactions came a day after Mohanlal expressed regret over the raging row surrounding the recently released film and assured that the controversial portions would be removed from the movie. The national award-winning actor had posted a 'regretful note' on his Facebook account hours after Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Opposition Leader V D Satheesan extended their support to the movie and criticised the Sangh Parivar for the social media attack against its makers.

Mohanlal's social media post expressing the entire movie team's "sincere regret" was later shared by its actor-director, Prithviraj and one of the producers, Antony Perumbavoor, on their respective social media accounts.