Kochi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has filed a petition in the Kerala High Court seeking a ban on the screening of the Malayalam film 'Empuraan', directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran. VV Vijeesh, a former Thrissur district committee member of the party, approached the court on March 31, alleging that the movie promotes anti-national elements.
The petitioner also accused the filmmakers of attempting to spread religious hatred and incite communal violence in the state.

Actors Mohanlal, Prithviraj, and producer Antony Perumbavoor have been named defendants in the petition.

On March 28, Vijeesh also filed a petition with the Censor Board, objecting to controversial scenes related to the Gujarat violence depicted in the movie.

Empuraan, which was released worldwide on March 27, has been facing backlash after the Sangh Parivar accused it of propagating an anti-Hindu ideology.

Meanwhile, Union Minister Suresh Gopi dismissed the controversy surrounding the film, calling it a business strategy to attract audiences.

"What is the controversy? Who has raised the controversy? It’s all business—screwing the psyche of people and making money," he told the media.

Earlier, the BJP’s state leadership had maintained that the movie should be viewed purely as an art form and refused to join the hate campaign. However, BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar later declared that he would not watch the film.

Amid the row, the Empuraan makers have announced that the movie will undergo 17 cuts. Scenes related to violence will be removed, and the antagonist Bajrangi's name will be changed.