| L2: Empuraan | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Prithviraj Sukumaran |
| Written by | Murali Gopy |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Sujith Vaassudev |
| Edited by | Akhilesh Mohan |
| Music by | Deepak Dev |
Production company |
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| Distributed by | see below |
Release date |
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Running time | 179 minutes[a] |
| Country | India |
| Language | Malayalam |
| Budget | ₹150−175 crore[b] |
| Box office | ₹265–268.05 crore[c] |
L2: Empuraan (transl. Overlord; stylised asL2: E.M.P.U.R.A.A.N - Lucifer 2; marketed asL2E) is a 2025 IndianMalayalam-languagepoliticalaction thriller film directed byPrithviraj Sukumaran and written byMurali Gopy. It is jointly produced byAntony Perumbavoor,Subaskaran Allirajah and Gokulam Gopalan throughAashirvad Cinemas,Lyca Productions and Sree Gokulam Movies. It is the sequel to theLucifer (2019) and also the second installment in theLuciferUniverse, starringMohanlal, along with anensemble cast including Prithviraj Sukumaran,Abhimanyu Singh,Tovino Thomas,Manju Warrier,Indrajith Sukumaran,Jerome Flynn,Andrea Tivadar,Eriq Ebouaney,Nandu,Saikumar,Baiju Santhosh,Suraj Venjaramoodu, Sukant Goel,Fazil andKishore whileRick Yune andPranav Mohanlal appears in a cameo.
Lucifer was conceived as a three-part film series since its inception. The first film's success led to the decision to proceed with the second in the series. It was announced in June 2019, and production, originally planned for mid-2020, faced delays due to theCOVID-19 pandemic. Murali took the opportunity to expand the scale and scope of the film. Although it maintains continuity, it was meant to be a standalone entry, not requiring viewers to have seen the first film. The screenplay was finalised in July 2022, and pre-production began the next month. Lyca joined in September 2023, and in March 2025, Gopalan joined as a co-producer, following financial disputes with Lyca.Deepak Dev composed the original soundtrack and the background score.
Principal photography took place from October 2023 to December 2024, spanning 145 days across sporadic schedules in India, theUnited Kingdom, theUnited States, and theUnited Arab Emirates. Made on a₹150–175 crore budget,[6]L2: Empuraan was released in theatres on 27 March 2025 in standard,EPIQ formats and being the first Malayalam movie to release onIMAX. It is the most expensive Malayalam film to date. Upon release, it received mixed reviews from critics, with praise for the technical aspects, cast performances, depth of script, soundtrack, direction and making style. However, its screenplay, background scores and climax received polarized response. However, it became the first Malayalam film to cross ₹250 crore and was thehighest-grossing Malayalam film of all time (grossing over ₹265-268 crore) before being overtaken byLokah Chapter 1: Chandra.L2: Empuraan is currently the second highest-grossing Malayalam film of all-time and theninth highest-grossing Indian film of the year.[10]
In 2002,communal riots break out inGujarat betweenHindu andMuslimextremists after theGodhra train burning, forcing a young Zayed Masood and his family to flee. They seek refuge with Subhadra Ben, a kind lady and the head of a large royal family. She consoles them, telling them that politics is actually a business in the country and that everything will be alright soon. She entrusts their safety with her nephew, Munna. However, Munna, harbouring a deep hatred towards Muslims, informs his elder brother, Balraj Patel, who is a Hindu extremist leader. Balraj leads a mob that massacres Zayed's family, including his father Masood, and mother Bahija Begum. Subhadra Ben is also killed by Balraj for "betraying" her community. Devastated, Zayed, takes his younger brother Zaheer, and flees, only to later discover him dead.
In the present, six years into his tenure as theChief Minister of Kerala, Jathin Ramdas, who became extremely selfish and corrupt to the core, finds himself under investigation by several intelligence agencies for corruption and involvement in money-laundering scams. Priyadarshini, Jathin's sister, is worried about his behavioural change as a politician and a son in a short span and gets into an argument where Jathin himself reveals a truth to the state. The future of his political party, Indian Union Front (IUF) is in turmoil, as a new right wing opposition party, Akhanda Shakthi Morcha (ASM), gains prominence in Kerala. Unexpectedly, Jathin announces his resignation from the IUF to form a new faction, IUF (PKR), which is allied with the ASM, whose leader is Balraj, now operating under the alias, Baba Bajrangi. Balraj plans to amass his wealth and creates support to his party under the guise of public service, through exploiting Kerala's political landscape by creating communalism in Kerala. Meanwhile, Govardhan has been investigating Stephen Nedumpally, P. K. Ramdas' adopted son, who disappeared from politics after Jathin took office.
In the UK,MI6 chief Boris Oliver has been pursuing the infamous Internationalsecret society Khureshi Ab'raam nexus. On the other hand,Interpol officer Robert McCarthy, covertly conspires with Kabuga, an African crime lord and Sergei Leonov, a former associate of Khureshi, to traffic drugs fromSenegal toGuinea. Simultaneously, Khureshi, who opposes drug trafficking and gold smuggling, intercepts the operation and eliminates Robert and Leonov. He arranges a meeting with Kabuga atQaraqosh. Boris assigns his colleague, MI6 agent Michele Menuhin, Robert's girlfriend, to track Khureshi Ab'raam, who has personal vengeance on him for killing Robert. Unbeknownst to her, Boris has been secretly affiliated with Khureshi Ab'raam Nexus and leaks the information to him.
In India, Govardhan's search leads him to Daniel Rawther, a friend of Stephen, who drugs and transports him toNew York City. There, he discovers that Stephen has been living under his alternate identity, Khureshi Ab'raam. Stephen assures Govardhan of his return toIndia, before leaving to Iraq to eliminate Kabuga's syndicate with the help of his deputy Zayed Masood. To deceive his enemies, he fakes his death with the help of Govardhan, Boris and NPTV channel, plunging Kerala's political landscape into uncertainty. It is also revealed that Stephen had done the agencies a favour as Robert was adouble agent working for the Kabuga cartel also.
Priya protests against the construction of a controversialcheck dam in Nedumpally. During a protest, she is attacked by assailants arranged by Balraj, but manages to escape into a forest, where she is rescued by Stephen, who has since returned to India. He convinces her to step forward as the IUF's new Chief Ministerial candidate. Priya agrees and assumes the post of the party leader, thereby making her entry into active politics. The next day a large meeting was held at the party head office PKR Bhavan. As Priya was addressing the gathering and the other leaders, the Central Investigation Agencies, upon the orders of theUnion Home Minister arrive to arrest Priya upon a non-bailable arrest warrant based on money laundering charges. As Priya cooperates and is arrested, it leads to a large public support for her from all sides. On the other hand, Jathin meets with Munna and proceeds to meet Balraj, but is kidnapped and held hostage by Khureshi's mercenaries until Priya is cleared of false money laundering charges – charges that were linked to Jathin's past crimes as the IUF president. In a flashback, it is revealed that Zayed fell into the hands of theLashkar-e-Taiba, an extremist group that radicalises children for terrorism. En route toPakistan, he was saved by Khureshi, who took him under his wing and promised to help him seek revenge. Upon Priya's release, Stephen and Zayed orchestrate a final showdown against Balraj and Munna, at the site where Zayed's family were massacred, ultimately killing them and fulfilling Zayed's long awaited revenge.
With Balraj and Munna dead, Priyadarshini launches her political campaign. Meanwhile, Khureshi gives Jathin an ultimatum: to support Priya's rise to power or face death; Jathin reluctantly agrees to support Priya. Khureshi receives a call from Shenlong Shen, the powerful leader of world famous Afro-Asian crime syndicate called Shen Triad, that was aligned with Kabuga, who captures and kills Boris in revenge for killing Kabuga. As Khureshi is still talking to Shenlong, Jathin boards a helicopter to be taken back, however, a bomb that was set by the Shen Triad explodes, killing him instantly, much to the shock of both Khureshi and Zayed.
In thepost-credits scene, Shenlong Shen, expresses his interest in meeting Khureshi, hinting towards an impending conflict. Seeking to uncover Stephen's past, he begins investigating how Stephen Nedumpally became Khureshi Ab'raam, leading to a trail revealing a much younger Stephen in 1981Bombay, confirming the third part.
Cameo appearances:
No official announcement of a follow-up was made forLucifer (2019), despite its open ending. The possibility of a continuation was confirmed by writerMurali Gopy in an interview in April 2019, shortly after the release ofLucifer. He clarified that "Lucifer is definitely designed as a franchise, and it is very evident from its structure and progression."[11] The official announcement of a second film and its title took place during a press conference on 18 June 2019. Shedding light on the meaning of the title,Prithviraj Sukumaran said that "Empuraan" signifies "someone who is more than a king, but less than a god", with a more literal translation being "overlord". Murali revealed thatLucifer was conceived as a series right from its inception. The success of the first film gave them confidence to proceed withL2: Empuraan, said Prithviraj. Production was planned to commence in the second half of 2020.[12]
In September 2019, Prithviraj further revealed thatL2: Empuraan is part of a three-film series.[13] The trilogy was originally envisioned as a three-season web series, the first season was transformed into the filmLucifer, while the second and third seasons were adapted for the subsequent instalments.[14] Prithviraj clarified thatL2: Empuraan does not continue the story ofLucifer but rather delves into the events that occurred before and after it, and that they have built "a franchise structure that visits every aspect of the story".[15] Murali hinted thatL2: Empuraan would unveil more layers of the narrative.[12] Although it maintains continuity, the film was conceived as a standalone entry, not requiring viewers to have seen the first film.[16]
The onset of theCOVID-19 pandemic in 2020 led to the postponement of the production.[17] In September 2020, Murali presented a comprehensive design brief ofL2: Empuraan to Prithviraj, who stated that it assisted him in visualising an edited and colour-corrected version of the film.[18] Pre-production, that was set to begin in 2021, was again delayed due to the pandemic.[19] In the meantime, Prithviraj directed another film,Bro Daddy (2022), in the third quarter of 2021.[20] In October 2021, Prithviraj disclosed that they were still waiting for the pandemic situation to subside, as they could not proceed withlocation scouting under that situation and expressed hope to start filming by mid-2022.[21]
In 2022, Murali revealed plans to "scale up the magnitude and scope" ofL2: Empuraan.[22] He was in the process of writing the screenplay in May 2022,[23] which he completed that month.[24] In July, Prithviraj announced the completion ofL2: Empuraan's final script and informed lead actorMohanlal and producerAntony Perumbavoor.[25] The following month, the team officially announced through social media that they had entered the pre-production phase, "we are starting the actual process of making the film from today (17 August 2022)", Prithviraj described the film as a "commercial entertainer".[26] In September 2023, theTamil film production companyLyca Productions announced their involvement in the production ofL2: Empuraan, marking their debut in Malayalam cinema, along withAashirvad Cinemas, the producer ofLucifer. Additionally, Prithviraj's companyPrithviraj Productions is credited for "project design".[27] In March 2025, Sree Gokulam Movies joined the project as a co-producer, reportedly due to a financial dispute between Lyca Productions and Aashirvad Cinemas.[28][29]
Mohanlal reprises his role of Khureshi Ab'raam/Stephen Nedumpally. During the film's announcement, it was revealed that Prithviraj's character Zayed Masood would have more prominence inL2: Empuraan.[12] Prithviraj said that Zayed's role in Stephen's life is bigger than what was shown inLucifer.[15] Several actors fromLucifer return to reprise their roles—Tovino Thomas,Manju Warrier,Indrajith Sukumaran,Saikumar,Fazil,Baiju Santhosh,Saniya Iyappan,Sachin Khedekar,Shivaji Guruvayoor,Nandu,Nyla Usha, andGiju John, among others.[30]Kalabhavan Shajohn, whose character Aloshy Joseph was killed off inLucifer, made an unannounced appearance in the trailer. Following this, he personally confirmed his presence in the film.[31]
In a December 2023 interview,Abhimanyu Singh confirmed his role as the antagonist opposite Mohanlal.[32] Describing his character, Singh stated, "Balraj is a really complex character. He is not just one thing. There are many layers to him."[33]Suraj Venjaramoodu portrays politician Sajanachandran. He revealed that he personally expressed his desire to be cast in the film while working with Prithviraj on the sets ofDriving Licence.[34] Karthikeya Dev, who portrayed the younger version of Prithviraj's character inSalaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire, was similarly cast as the younger Masood (Prithviraj).[35]Nikhat Khan appears as Subhadra Ben, a regal woman who owns ahaveli. Prithviraj revealed that at the time of casting, he was unaware she wasAamir Khan's sister and selected her based solely on her audition.[36] Sukant Goel plays the role of Balraj's brothet Munna, who is an accomplice to Balraj in his crimes and political career.
British-Romanian actressAndrea Tivadar joined the cast as Michele Menuhin, anSAS operative working forMI6 and tasked with pursuing Ab'raam.[37] British actorJerome Flynn was cast as Boris Oliver, a significant figure in Ab'raam's journey.[38] French actorEriq Ebouaney plays Kabuga, a character with negative shades.[39] Prithviraj revealed that several foreign actors they had initially considered were unable to sign due to the2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, "we were in limbo for a while and kept waiting, but the strike just would not end and we had to move on". As a result, the team restarted the casting process with non-SAG-AFTRA actors.[40]
There were speculations about American actorRick Yune's involvement, but his casting remained undisclosed until the film's release. Yune portrays Shenlong Shen, the leader of the Shen Triad nexus, a rival syndicate to Khureshi's Indo-Arab nexus.[41] Also, several other actors such asAamir Khan andMa Dong-seok were rumored to play the role until the release. Similarly,Pranav Mohanlal's role was kept under wraps, only revealed through a flashback scene in which he plays a young Stephen.[42] The other new additions includeManikuttan,Kishore,Satyajit Sharma, Oziel Jivani, Aishwarya Ojha, Nayan Bhatt,Shubhangi Latkar, and Behzaad Khan.[30]
Following a six-month-longlocation scouting process in India, which concluded in February 2023, the film crew embarked on arecce across several international locations.[43]Principal photography was originally scheduled to commence on 15 August,[44] however, it was postponed after Prithviraj sustained an injury on the sets ofVilayath Buddha.[45] Production eventually began with a customarymuhurtam shot on 5 October inFaridabad on the outskirts of Delhi andHaryana. It primarily featured foreign actors andextras. Filming was moved toShimla, Himachal Pradesh, following a day of shooting inFaridabad.[46][47] Filming also took place inLeh,Ladakh.[48] The first schedule was completed in Ladakh on 28 October.[49]
The crew began location scouting in theUnited Kingdom in November 2023.[50] The location scouting process for the entire film spanned 18 months.[51] The second schedule started in the UK in January 2024[52] and concluded later that month.[53] In late February, filming shifted to the United States,[54] covering various locations including New York,New Mexico,Louisiana,San Francisco, andAtlanta.[55][56] This schedule featured the principal cast members, Mohanlal, Tovino, Prithviraj, and Indrajith, and continued until the second week of March.[57] By this time, approximately 20 percent of the film had been completed.[58] The subsequent phase of production began in April on specially constructed sets inChennai,[59] concluding within the same month.[60] This phase involved Mohanlal, Tovino, Warrier, and Saniya.[61]
By May, the production had moved toThiruvananthapuram, where scenes were filmed at two schools with the participation of 2,000 extras, along with cast members Warrier, Suraj, Saikumar, Baiju, and Nandu.[62] In June, the crew filmed inKochi,[63] before relocating toGujarat by mid-June for the longest schedule of the production.[64][65] The Gujarat schedule included scenes depicting Zayed's younger years, with Mohanlal joining the shoot.[66] Filming took place at a palace and on custom-built sets, covering both past and present timelines. However,heavy downpour caused delays.[67] Production resumed inRajkot during the fourth week of September.[68][69] The team shifted toHyderabad in October for a brief schedule, reportedly atRamoji Film City.[70][71]
Later in October, the production team returned toThiruvananthapuram.[72] Filming was held atKanakakkunnu Palace,The Leela Kovalam,Adimalathura Beach, andPallippuram. This phase concluded within the same month.[73] Additional scenes were shot in places such asThammanam,Kuttikkanam, andVandiperiyar during October. In November, the production moved to theUnited Arab Emirates andMumbai before returning to Kerala to film inErnakulam,Chalakudy, andPalakkad. Filming waswrapped on 1 December 2024, on the banks of theMalampuzha Reservoir, marking the conclusion of 14 months of production.[74][75]L2: Empuraan was completed in 145 days, which was 28 days shorter than the originally planned schedule.[76]
Empuraan was filmed using theanamorphic format with a 2.8:1aspect ratio, ensuring visual consistency with the first film.[77] Prithviraj confirmed the third instalment will follow the same approach.[78] He mostly utilisedpractical effects for the action sequences.[79][80] The fight sequences were choreographed byStunt Silva.[45]Sujith Vaassudev and Mohandas were retained as the cinematographer and art director, respectively.[43]Nirmal Sahadev served as the film's creative director.[81]Suresh Balaje and George Pius of Wide Angle Creations served as the film'sline producers.[82]
The film's original soundtrack and background score was composed byDeepak Dev, a frequent collaborator of Prithviraj.[83] Composer Jakes Bejoy has sung a song. Usha Uthup has recorded a track. It features a theme song by Prarthana Indrajith which has English-language lyrics written by Prithviraj.[84] The first single, "Phir Zinda" was released on 25 March 2025.[85] The second single, "Kaavalaai Chekavar" was released on 29 March 2025. The third single titled "Azrael" was released on 3 April 2025.
Within a week of wrapping production, the team confirmed that the first cut was finished and thatpost-production was progressing at a brisk pace.[86] The release date was announced onKerala Piravi with a poster featuring a mysterious figure dressed in white and adorned with a redDragon, which sparked widespread discussion among fans regarding the identity and background of the character.[87][88] Birthday posters were released forMohanlal as Khureshi Abraam,Prithviraj as Zayed Masood andIndrajith as Govardhan, the latter two characters reportedly having more prominent screen presence with regards to the first instalment.[89][90] The film's teaser was released on 26 January 2025 inKochi, coinciding with theIndian Republic Day.[91][92]
Similarly toLucifer, an 18-day character reveal campaign revealing the 36 principal cast members was launched as part of the film's promotional strategy. The campaign began on 9 February 2025 and concluded on 28 February 2025.[93] The film's trailer was released on 20 March 2025.[94]
In November 2022, while the film was in pre-production, Prithviraj stated that they have not decided on a release date for the film.[95] Beside its original release in Malayalam, the film would be released inTamil,Telugu,Kannada andHindi languages.[96] The film is also marketed with the short titleL2E by the makers and was theatrically released on 27 March 2025, coinciding the sixth anniversary ofLucifer.[97][98][99] It is also the firstMalayalam film to be released inIMAX andEPIQ formats.[100][101]
AA Films acquired the distribution rights forNorth India.[102]Dil Raju acquired the distribution rights forAndhra Pradesh andTelangana under his bannerSri Venkateswara Creations.[103]Hombale Films acquired the distribution rights forKarnataka. Sree Gokulam Movies will distribute the film inTamil Nadu through its own distribution network.[102]
The overseas rights for the film, excluding theGCC and US, were acquired by Cyber Systems Australia.[104] Phars Film distributed the film in the GCC regions. Aashirvad Hollywood and Prime Media acquired the distribution rights in the USA.[105][106] RFT Entertainment acquired the distribution rights in the UK and Europe.[107]
The film began streaming onJioHotstar from 24 April 2025 in Malayalam and dubbed versions of Tamil, Telugu and Kannada languages.[108] The Hindi dubbed version began streaming on the same platform from 23 May 2025.[109] The satellite rights of the film is acquired byJioStar network and premiered on 17 August 2025 onAsianet.[110]
Pre sales began in overseas from 18 March 2025. In Australia, the film generated pre-sales of more than $100,000 for its opening day, surpassingThe Goat Life with $69,590 on day 1. In Germany, the film generated €50,000 on its opening day, as no Malayalam film has opened above €10,000 with the highest opener previously held byThe Goat Life which had an opening weekend of €45,000.[111] In India, pre-sales began from 21 March 2025. The film registered the highest hourly pre-sales ever recorded in Indian cinema, with 96,140 tickets sold per hour on BookMyShow.[112][113] As of 2 PM on 21 March 2025, the film sold 3,10,000 tickets onBookMyShow across all Indian theatres; the highest for a Malayalam film surpassingThe Goat Life which sold 3,09,000 tickets in advance bookings.[114][115] InCanada, the film made $500,000 in advance bookings by 23 March 2025.[116]
The film slated for screenings atRagam Theatre inThrissur for a 24-hour continuous run from 27 March 6 AM to 31 March 4 AM. As of 10 PM on Sunday 24 March 2025, the film's weekend worldwide advance sales surpassed ₹53 crore. In Germany, its four-day weekend advance booking exceeded €251,000 surpassingPushpa 2. In Australia, the film made pre-sales of more than $601,000 by 24 March 2025.[117] By 26 March 2025 with over 1.1 million tickets sold on BookMyShow, it is among India's highest pre-release ticket sales films. With 11.29 lakh pre-sales, it surpassed other major releases such asJawan,Salaar, andAnimal.[118] The film headed for its release with the final pre-sales closing at ₹85 crore worldwide for the opening weekend (27–30 March), with ₹36 crore from India and ₹49 crore from overseas. For the opening day, the film made over ₹52.50 crore worldwide, in advance bookings. In Kerala, the film made over ₹12.40 crore in advance bookings for the opening day, surpassingLeo that earlier attained the top spot at the Kerala opening day box-office.[119]
L2: Empuraan received mixed reviews from critics. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 70% of 8 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.2/10.
S. R. Praveen ofThe Hindu wrote that "Mohanlal, rich production design fail to save this sequel".[120] Anna Mathews ofTimes of India gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote that "L2: Empuraan doesn't quite match the punch of Lucifer".[121] Ganesh Aaglave ofFirstpost gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote "Mohanlal & Prithviraj Sukumaran starrer action-thriller is high on swag, charisma & technical brilliance".[122] Pooja Pillai ofEastern Eye wrote that "Despite its storytelling flaws, the film remains a grand theatrical spectacle best experienced on the big screen with all its cinematic flair."[123] Sanjith Sidhardhan ofOTTplay gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote "Prithviraj Sukumaran elevates the stakes with an ambitious but less nuanced follow-up toLucifer".[124] Sajin Shrijith of theThe Week rated 3/5 and wrote, "The second chapter of 'Lucifer' is too pre-occupied with eyeball-catching visualisation than storytelling prowess, and suffers a little as a result."[125]
Goutham S ofPinkvilla gave 4/5 stars and wrote "Mohanlal starrer acts as mirror to socio-political narrative with string of new foes lining up to vanquish Khureshi".[126] BVS Prakash ofDeccan Chronicle gave 2.5/5 stars and wrote that "L2: Empuraan struggles to match the impact of its predecessor but remains an intriguing watch for fans of Lucifer".[127] Janani K ofIndia Today gave 3/5 stars and wrote "Director Prithviraj Sukumaran'sL2: Empuraan is a fitting sequel toLucifer. Mounted on a grand scale, the film displays convenient writing but makes up with stunning visuals."[128] Anandu Suresh ofThe Indian Express gave 3/5 stars and wrote "Prithviraj Sukumaran's Mohanlal-starrer is certainly not another run-of-the-mill pan-Indian film that exists solely to scream "look what our star can do!".[129] Kirubhankar Purushothaman ofNews18 gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote "Prithviraj Effectively Scales Up Mohanlal'sLucifer To Greater Heights".[130]
Rohit Panikker ofTimes Now gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote "L2: Empuraan is a befitting addition to the Lucifer universe, and entertains you through and through despite its extra run-time and extensive world-building."[131]Bollywood Hungama gave 3/5 stars and wrote "L2: Empuraan boasts mass appeal, grandeur, and stellar performances."[132] Arjun Menon ofRediff gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote "L2: Empuraan is an ambitious sequel that is bigger, bolder and timid in equal measure".[133] Pratyusha Sista ofTelangana Today wrote "L2: Empuraan is a gripping political thriller that delivers on all fronts—story, action, and performances. It's a well-connected sequel that avoids unnecessary drama, keeping audiences hooked for the entire 180-minute runtime. Whether you're a Lucifer fan or a newcomer, this film is a must-watch in theatres for its larger-than-life experience".[134]
On its opening day, the film grossed ₹65 crore worldwide, which was the highest opening day gross for a Malayalam film.[135] The film continued to gross ₹34 crore on its second day, hence crossing the ₹100 crore mark in 2 days.[136]Empuraan moved on towards its first weekend grossing ₹35 crore on Saturday and ₹38 crore on Sunday to a worldwide gross of ₹174 crore (4 days).[137][138] It debuted third at theComscore Global opening weekend grossing around $20M worldwide.[139][140] It secured the second place at the ComscoreU.K/Ireland opening weekend with a $1.5 million making it one of the biggest regional Indian film debuts in U.K. in recent years.[141] The first four day Kerala weekend gross was ₹42.55 crore. In 5 days, the film grossed ₹54.55 crore in Kerala; the fastest ₹50 crore entry in the state surpassingLeo.[142] It crossed ₹200 crore worldwide within the same period.[143]
The film grossed ₹228.75 crore completing its first week of run[144] also taking its 7-day Kerala gross to ₹68.50 crore.[145] On its 9th day of release, it surpassedManjummel Boys to become the All Time top grossing Malayalam film.[146] The film crossed ₹250 crore globally in 11 days.[147] The worldwide gross was ₹258 crore in 14 days,[148] was at ₹262.75 crore in 16 days, including ₹120 crore gross (₹103 crore net) in India, and ₹142 crore from overseas.[149] The film has collected₹86.30 crore from Kerala box office, becoming the second highest grossing film in Kerala, behind2018.[150] The film completed its global theatrical run with a total gross collection of₹268 crore, including₹144.80 crore from overseas.[151]
The film's controversies have boosted its box office performance, with people going to theatres to watch the original version before the re-edited one starts to premiere.[152]
The marketing for the film reportedly usedshock marketing by incorporating provocative themes like the2002 Gujarat riots and theMullaperiyar dam dispute. This sparked controversy, boosting its ₹70 crore first-week earnings. While some called it a publicity stunt, others credited its success to audience resonance. The buzz amplified visibility, drawing crowds and showcasing shock marketing's impact.[153][154]
According to Kerala Film Producers' AssociationEmpuraan was made on a budget of₹175.66 crore and was deemed as a profitable film. They said that the film made₹24.65 crore theatre share from Kerala in five days of its release.[5]
L2: Empuraan delves into themes of power, identity, and vengeance, interweaving Kerala's political turbulence with elements of global crime. The film follows Khureshi Ab'raam (Mohanlal) as he navigates a dual persona, while Zayed Masood (Prithviraj Sukumaran) embarks on a quest for retribution connected to the fictionalised2002 Gujarat riots. Its socio-political commentary—featuring a Hindutva-inspired antagonist and depictions of communal violence—has sparked controversy, resulting in scene cuts due to backlash from right-wing groups. Nevertheless, some critics have praised the film for its bold stance against communalism. While critics recognised the film's technical prowess and Mohanlal's compelling performance, they noted that the writing lacked consistency, with the "L" motif's symbolism seen as overly heavy-handed. As a midpoint in the trilogy,L2: Empuraan presents a divisive mix of spectacle and depth.[125][156]
Shortly after its theatrical release on 27 March 2025, a pirated copy ofL2: Empuraan began circulating on notorious websites andTelegram groups, prompting swift action from the film's team.[157] The Kerala Film Producers' Association intensified its anti-piracy efforts in response to the leak of high-definition (HD) prints of the film. In a press release, the association announced the appointment ofethical hackers to monitor and track piracy activities using advanced digital tracking tools, with a focus on identifying individuals downloading pirated versions.[158][159] The association also urged the government to establish a special team to enforce copyright laws and address the growing issue of illegal distribution of theatrical and HD prints of new releases.Antony Perumbavoor, the film's producer, filed a complaint with the Kerala cyber police, which subsequently launched an investigation into the unauthorised online distribution. Filmmakers highlighted piracy as a significant concern, particularly forpan-Indian and global releases likeL2: Empuraan.[160]
In a related development, on 2 April 2025,Kerala police sealed aninternet cafe inPappinisseri,Kannur, after discovering it was involved in downloading and distributing a pirated version ofthe movie. The operation followed a tip-off received by the social media monitoring cell of Kannur City Police, leading to a joint investigation by local police and the cyber cell that uncovered the pirated file. The café was shut down, and authorities indicated that a case would be registered, though no arrests were reported at the time.[161][162]
As announced by the team,Lucifer is a trilogy, implying the existence of a third film as a continuation of the series. During a September 2019 event, Prithviraj mentioned that the third film will explore a much darker theme in the series.[163] In January 2025, while talking about the cinematographic techniques used inL2: Empuraan, Prithviraj confirmed that the same techniques would be used in the third film as well.[78]
In the film'spost-credits scene, the third and final installment in the trilogy,L3: The Beginning, was announced.[164] The film's story would revolve around the conflict between Khureshi Abr'aam and the leader of the Shen triad group, played byRick Yune.[165] Later, the title of the film was revealed by the music director of the film,Deepak Dev asL3: Azrael.[citation needed]
Following its release, the film was met with immediate criticism from right-wing political groups likeRashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), who objected towards the name of the villain as well as the portrayal ofHindutva leaders in a negative shade. One of the antagonistic characters in film was named "Baba Bajrangi", which some viewers interpreted as an allusion toBajrang Dal leaderBabu Bajrangi, a convicted figure involved in the2002 Gujarat riots who was sentenced to life imprisonment for masterminding theNaroda Patiya massacre.[166]Mohanlal, who holds the honorary rank ofLieutenant Colonel in theIndian Army, faced criticism for acting in the film, with people calling for his rank to be revoked.[167][168] The film was criticised by RSS mouthpieceOrganiser as using the2002 Gujarat riots to push an "anti-Hindu political agenda."[169][170]
Tamil Nadu Rajya Sabha MPVaiko demanded a ban on the film or removal of scenes about theMullaperiyar Dam, citing safety and misrepresentation concerns.[171] The film portrays the dam as "Nedumpally dam" and shows it at risk of collapsing.[172][173] Former Chief MinisterO. Panneerselvam also criticised the film, arguing it could harm relations between Tamil Nadu and Kerala.[171][174]
On 4 April, theTamil Nadu Assembly debated about the film's controversies. Water Resources MinisterDurai Murugan expressed concerns about a scene, despite not having seen the film.Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu,M K Stalin noted that the film had passed censorship without objections, with protests emerging only after its release.[175]
On 4 April 2025, theEnforcement Directorate (ED) raided Gokulam Gopalan's offices in Chennai and Kochi, a producer ofL2: Empuraan, over allegedForeign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) violations. The raids, amid the film's existing controversies over its depiction of the2002 Gujarat riots and right-wing politics, fuelled speculation of a link to its content.[176] However, ED officials clarified that the raid concerns FEMA violations, not the film controversy. This added further complexity to the ongoing debates and protests surrounding the movie.[177][178][179]The current raids are part of investigation into the suspected money laundering through exaggerated collection reports of films produced and distributed by his firm, Sree Gokulam Movies.[180]
As part of an investigation into alleged financial irregularities, the ED seized ₹1.5 crore in cash and incriminating documents during searches at 10 locations across Tamil Nadu and Kerala.[181][182][183][184] The investigation intensified following the seizures.[181]
Following the controversy, theIncome Tax Department issued a notice to actor and filmmakerPrithviraj Sukumaran regarding discrepancies in the payment details of films co-produced by him. The notice seeked clarification on certain aspects of his income declarations related to these productions.[185] TheED had also issued a notice to producer Antony Perumbavoor, seeking a detailed clarification into the financial transactions of theLucifer franchise andMarakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea (2021). The notice specifically addressed overseas distribution rights and an alleged payment made to Mohanlal in Dubai.[186][187]
Due to thecontroversies surrounding the film, the makers announced over 17 voluntary changes in the film including edits to riots sequences, portrayal of violence against women, the antagonist's name as well as muting of some of the dialogues.[188] Subsequently, three minute of visuals were said to be removed for exhibitions with effect from 31 March.[189] Confirming the changes to film, Mohanlal expressed 'regret' for the political and social themes in the film and said that it is his duty as an artist to ensure that none of his films harbour hatred towards any political movement, ideology, or religious sect.[190][191]
However two days later, 24 cuts amounting to 2 minutes and 8 seconds of visuals were certified by theCBFC, with changes made to various scenes, character names, and visuals.[192]
In the re-censored version of the film which was re-released on 2 April, significant changes were made to address sensitive content. One of the major alterations involved the character of Balraj, alias Baba Bajrangi, the antagonist who leads a mob. This character, originally resemblingBajrang Dal leaderBabu Bajrangi—who was sentenced to life imprisonment for his involvement in the2002 Gujarat Riots—had been renamed Baldev. Additionally, the display card that originally stated "India 2002" had been changed to "a few years ago" to avoid direct reference to the 2002 riots. Several graphic visuals, including those of vehicles passing in front of a religious structure, violence against women, and dead bodies during riot scenes, had been removed. A conversation between a young Zayed Masood (played by directorPrithviraj Sukumaran) and his father during the riots was also cut.[193][194][195]
Further cuts were made to remove references to theNational Investigation Agency (NIA), particularly in scenes where the agency was shown as being misused by the ruling party to target political opponents. Audio mutes were employed to eliminate any mention of theNIA. The "Special Thanks" section of the film credits also saw some changes, with the names of actor and Union Minister of State for PetroleumSuresh Gopi and IRS officer Jyothis Mohan being removed.[196][197]
While the re-edited version was intended for screening in India, the uncut version of the film continued to be shown internationally. However, the streaming release, viaJioHotstar, incorporated the same cuts made for the theatrical domestic version.[198]