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Mohanlal's 'Empuraan' faced controversies leading to 24 cuts, including removal of Suresh Gopi's name and violence against women. Despite this, the film achieved massive box office success, becoming the second highest-grossing Malayalam film.
Thiruvananthapuram: After facing significant controversies, the Mohanlal-Prithviraj film Empuraan has undergone extensive revisions, with a total of 24 cuts made. Asianet News obtained the re-edited censor document, which reveals several key changes. Notably, Union Minister Suresh Gopi has been removed from the film's thank-you card, and all scenes depicting violence against women have been excised. Additionally, scenes featuring vehicles passing in front of religious symbols have been cut, as well as a sequence that mentioned the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
The character of the main antagonist has also been altered, with his name changing from Bajrangi to Baldev. Initially, reports indicated that seventeen cuts would be made, but the re-edited censor document shows that even more changes have been implemented.
In response to the controversy, producer Antony Perumbavoor addressed the issue, clarifying that the re-editing process was carried out with the full consent of everyone involved, not due to external pressure. He emphasized that it was their responsibility to correct any mistakes and stated that Prithviraj should not be blamed or isolated. Antony also confirmed that Murali Gopi, despite not publicly sharing a Facebook post, stands by their position.
On a positive note, Empuraan has achieved significant box office success. It has become the second highest-grossing Malayalam film of all time, surpassing 2018 (starring Tovino Thomas) in just five days. 2018 had earned a lifetime collection of Rs 175.4 crores, but Empuraan exceeded that figure within its opening week. The film has also officially entered the coveted 200 crore club, marking a personal milestone for Mohanlal as his first film to reach this mark. The only Malayalam film ahead of Empuraan in terms of collections is Manjummel Boys, with a total of Rs 240 crores.
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