Mohanlal’s ‘L2: Empuraan’ has stormed the box office, raking in more than ₹150 crores globally within days of its release. But though it has achieved roaring success, the film has landed itself amidst controversy. There were a few scenes that initiated outrage on social media, leading the makers to choose a censor cut revised one.
The movie has also been reduced through 24 cuts, dropping it by 2 minutes and 8 seconds of its initial length. The antagonist’s name has also been changed after negative response. This grand change comes as a shocking reverse for the crew, but the crew still has hopes that everything will be mellowed down with the crowd.
‘L2: Empuraan’ Faces Major Backlash – What Went Wrong
Since its release, ‘L2: Empuraan’ has been under the limelight both for its box office response and its offending scenes. A few scenes in the movie precipitated debates on the internet, following which there was an onslaught of criticism.
✔ Social Media Outburst: The fans and critics raised issues with some of the sensitive dialogues and scenes that they felt were inappropriate. The backlash intensified, and the team was forced to act on it.
✔ Censor Board Pressure: Subsequent to the controversy, the censor board instructed the filmmakers to reconsider particular parts in order not to create further issues.
✔ Mohanlal’s Apology: By way of response to the controversy, Mohanlal himself apologized for any inadvertent hurt that the film may have caused. The gesture was welcomed by people, but the harm had already been caused.
24 Scenes Deleted – What has changed in the Second Cut?
The new version of ‘L2: Empuraan’ has been censored 24 times, resulting in the film being one of the most censored movies of recent years.
- Number of Cuts: 24 Scenes
- Runtime Shortened: 2 minutes and 8 seconds
- Antagonist’s Name Modified: In response to criticism, the name of the villain has been changed in the revised version.
- Dialogues Altered: Some objectionable dialogues have been modified to prevent further criticism.
The new version is likely to release tonight or tomorrow, so that the future audience gets to see a changed and controversy-free version.
Box Office Success Despite Controversy
In spite of censorship problems and criticism, ‘L2: Empuraan’ is still ruling the box office.
- Worldwide Collections: ₹150+ Crores (and growing)
- Kerala Box Office: Targeting an Industry Hit
- Overseas Markets: Middle East and USA continue to show strong performance
The controversy has not hampered the performance of the film, and rather, the furore over the censor cuts has generated curiosity and led more to see it.
Why Did the Makers Agree to the Cuts?
Some reasons went into making the decision to re-censor the movie:
✔ Steering Clear of Additional Controversy – With increasing online anger, the makers did not wish to invite an even bigger boycott campaign.
✔ Censor Board Suggestions – The censor board in official certification suggested edits to ensure a glitch-free theatrical release.
✔ Overseas Release Implications – International releases planned ensured edits for controversy-free overseas releases.
✔ Mohanlal’s Image – As an icon of a bygone era, Mohanlal’s reputation was very important, and he took care of the concerns that were being expressed.
By acting proactively, the producers have attempted to turn the tide in favor of the film while not losing the box office momentum of the film.
Can ‘L2: Empuraan’ Still Become an Industry Hit?
Despite these last-minute cuts, ‘L2: Empuraan’ is already well on its way to becoming an Industry Hit in Mollywood.
- If the film continues to have steady collections for the next two weeks, it will break past records.
- The updated version is likely to generate even more viewers’ interest, possibly with increased ticket sales.
- Foreign markets continue to experience high demand, propelling the movie towards even greater heights.
Read Also :- Mohanlal’s ‘Empuraan’ Closing in on Baahubali 2’s Middle East Record!
Final Thoughts
‘L2: Empuraan’ has suffered an untimely blow, but remains one of Malayalam cinema’s greatest box-office successes. The team has responded swiftly to sort out issues, paving the way for a controversy-free theatrical release in the future.
With ₹150+ crores already in hand, the million-dollar question now is: Can ‘L2: Empuraan’ still emerge as the biggest Industry Hit in spite of the controversy? Only time will tell, but for now, the movie continues its unstoppable box office rampage.
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