Won’t watch Empuraan: BJP Kerala chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar takes U-turn, says movies that distort truth doomed to fail

BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar said on Sunday that he won't watch Mohanlal-starrer 'L2: Empuraan'. He criticised the movie, said to be a "sequel to Lucifer", saying that any movie that "tries to build a story by distorting the truth is doomed to fail".

The BJP leader said in a post on X that he was disappointed by this sort of movie-making. "I had watched Lucifer and had liked it. I had said that I would watch the movie Empuraan when I heard it was a sequel to Lucifer," he said.

He said that he understood that there were topics in the movie that disturbed Mohanlal fans and other viewers.

"But now I have come to know that the makers of the movie themselves have made 17 amendments in the movie and that the movie is undergoing re-censorship. I understand that there were topics in the movie that disturbed Mohanlal fans and other viewers," Chandrasekhar said.

He added, "A movie should be watched as a movie. it can't be seen as history. Also, any movie that tries to build a story by distorting the truth is doomed to fail."

"So, will I watch this sequel to Lucifer? No. Am I disappointed by this type of moviemaking? - Yes," Chandrasekhar said.

Chandrasekhar's U-turn

Earlier, Rajeev Chandrasekhar took to his X account to extend his best wishes to the film's team as he shared a picture with Malayalam superstar Mohanlal.

“Best wishes, Mohanlal, Prithviraj Sukumaran, and team! Look forward to watching and enjoying Empuraan one of these days!," Chandrasekhar wrote while greeting the film’s release positively.

The controversy

The newly appointed BJP state chief's latest remarks came at a time when Sangh Parivar leaders and activists intensified their attack against certain portions of the film and alleged that it was against the interests of the nation, news agency PTI reported.

On Thursday, the opening day of the movie itself, the Sangh Parivar came out with vehement criticism against the film on social media, while the Congress and a section of the Left platforms celebrated the film for portraying the right-wing politics as "villainous".

'L2: Empuraan', which had its worldwide release on Thursday, had 4,500 shows in 746 screens in Kerala alone on the opening day, sources said.

Around 17 scenes are likely to be cut from the Mohanlal starrer movie L2: Empuraan, after the movie spurred massive backlash from right-wing supporters over what appears to be references to the 2002 Gujarat riots.

Senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly V D Satheesan on Sunday extended their whole-hearted support to the makers of Empuraan movie and accused Sangh Parivar of distorting history.

In a FB post, Satheesan alleged that the Sangh Parivar believes that freedom of expression means freedom of things being created in their favour. "Their agenda is to celebrate such flawed works," he charged.

Stating that cinema is the creation of a group of artists, he said modifying the content of a work of art by threatening, insulting and humiliating through social media is not a success.

"It is an indication of radical failure and cowardice. Don't forget that no matter how much you try to cover it up, historical truths will always remain clear," the LoP added.

The Prithviraj-directed film, the second part of the 'Lucifer' movie, a trilogy planned by the Prithviraj-Mohanlal team, has become a topic of hot debate over its critique of right-wing politics and the covert mention of the Gujarat riots.