2-Minute Cuts In Malayalam Film Empuraan After Controversy: 'Bajrangi' Dropped From Villain's Name, NIA Mentions Muted

Following continuous criticism after its release on Thursday (27 March), the creators of the Mohanlal-led film L2: Empuraan have voluntarily made 24 cuts to the movie, amounting to 2.08 minutes. The revised version of the film, approved by the regional officer of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), is expected to be screened in most Indian cinemas by Wednesday.

According to the updated censor certificate, a significant modification involves the renaming of the character Balraj, also known as Baba Bajrangi. This character is the villain, leading a mob and seems to allude to Bajrang Dal leader Babu Bajrangi, who received a life sentence for orchestrating the Naroda Patiya massacre during the 2002 Gujarat pogrom.

In the revised edition, the character's name has been changed to Baldev, The Hindu reported. Additionally, the display card that previously stated the timeline of events as ‘India 2002’ has been altered to ‘a few years ago’.

Producer Antony Perumbavoor has stated that Mohanlal was informed about the storyline of L2: Empuraan, and only two minutes were cut in the re-edited version.

In the film, scenes depicting vehicles moving in front of a religious building, acts of violence against women, and images of deceased individuals during riots have been eliminated.

Additionally, a dialogue between a young character named Zayed Masood, portrayed by the film's director Prithviraj Sukumaran, and his father Masood set during the riots, has been excised.

Mentions of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), depicted as a tool used by the government against political adversaries, have also been cut. An audio mute was utilised to remove any references to the NIA.

The reductions have also impacted the 'Special Thanks' section in the movie credits. The names of actor and Union Minister of State for Petroleum, Suresh Gopi, and IRS officer, Jyothis Mohan, have been omitted.

The understanding is that the unedited version will persist in being shown internationally, yet the cuts may be included for the over-the-top (OTT) release.

News of the film's re-editing has sparked a surge in ticket demand, resulting in predominantly sold-out screenings throughout Kerala since its debut on Thursday.

Despite the ongoing right-wing backlash, leaders from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] and the Congress party have shown support for the film's creators by viewing the unedited version in theaters.

The producers have reported gross earnings of Rs 200 crore from global box office sales up until 31 March.