Mohanlal announces changes in ‘Empuraan’, regrets ‘causing emotional distress’

The statement by the veteran Malayalam actor comes a day after it was reported that the film’s makers have voluntarily agreed to make several changes including muting some dialogue

Amid a backlash against his newly-released film ‘L2: Empuraan’ over its covert references to the Gujarat riots, actor Mohanlal has expressed regret for “causing emotional distress” among a section of his fans and announced the decision by the film’s makers to remove the controversial scenes.

Mohanlal plays the lead role in Prithviraj Sukumaran’s ‘L2 Empuraan’.

The statement by the veteran Malayalam actor comes a day after it was reported that the film’s makers have voluntarily agreed to make several changes including muting some dialogues. The film’s version with those changes will likely hit theatres next week.

In a Facebook post, Mohanlal wrote, “I learn that some of the political and social themes that have been incorporated into the film ‘Empuraan’, the second installment in the Lucifer franchise, have caused great emotional distress among a section of people who love me. As an artiste, it is my duty to ensure that none of my films produce hate towards any political movement, ideology or religious group.”

“Therefore, the Empuraan team and I sincerely regret the emotional distress caused to my loved ones. And with the realisation that the responsibility for this lies with all of us worked behind this film, we have collectively decided to remove such scenes from the film,” he wrote.

The actor said he has been “one among you” throughout his career for the past four decades and his strength is the “love and belief” the people show towards him. “I believe there is no Mohanlal greater than that,” the actor wrote.