'Movie can't be seen as history': Amid Empuraan backlash, Kerala BJP chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar says 'distorting truth is..'

Amid raging controversies over the Malayalam film 'L2 Empuraan', newly appointed BJP Kerala unit president Rajeev Chandrasekhar Sunday said he was disappointed with the kind of moviemaking and that any film that tries to build a story by distorting the truth is doomed to fail.

"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. 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," he shared on X. 

The movie, a sequel to 2019-release 'Lucifer', has become a focal point of controversy after Hindutva organisations and party leaders have voiced their disapproval, with many pointing to the film’s alleged reference to the 2002 Gujarat riots as a source of concern. This narrative has led Hindutva organisations and BJP leaders to voice their disapproval. The RSS-affiliated website, Organiser, criticised 'Empuraan' for potentially using cinema as a "platform for divisive political agendas." 

In response to the backlash, the producers, including Gokulam Gopalan, have voluntarily implemented changes to the film. Gopalan stated, "Certain words have already been muted. There is a protest against certain things in the film. I have asked the director to make necessary changes. We are not involved in any politics." 

As a result, the film, directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran and starring Mohanlal, will undergo re-censorship and 17 cuts. Meanwhile, the film earned Rs 13.50 crore domestically Saturday, its third day of release, inching closer ₹50 crore at the Indian box office.

Chandrasekhar, who initially shared a welcome note on the day of the film release, has shifted his stance due to its contentious elements. After a meeting with BJP national president JP Nadda, the former Union minister expressed disappointment in the film and declared he would not watch it, stating, "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," he added. 

Adding to the tension, BJP state vice-president and filmmaker Major Ravi suggested that Mohanlal may apologise for the controversy, despite not typically previewing films before their release. "I think he will apologise. He is pained over the issue. He does not have the habit of seeing a film before its release," Ravi remarked.

Despite these controversies, there has been no official condemnation from the BJP, although individual leaders continue to express their dissatisfaction.