L2 Empuraan row: Mohanlal film undergoes 24 cuts, Bajrangi dropped from villain's name, know other changes here

Antony Perumbavoor, the co-producer of the now controversial Malayalam blockbuster film Empuraan, announced on Tuesday that the film will undergo 24 cuts. Those presently engaged in re-editing the film have finished one part, and the second one will begin later in the day. The re-edited version will hit the screens most likely from Wednesday.

The violent scenes featuring a pregnant woman have been completely cut out, and the villain's name has been changed from Bajrangi to Baldev. Based on a request from Union Minister of State for Tourism Suresh Gopi, his name has been deleted from the "Thank you" slide of the film. The film has a mention of the premier investigating agency, NIA, in a bad light, and now in the new version, that part has been muted.

Earlier in the day, Perumbavoor clarified that the decision to re-edit the film was a collective one. "We don't make a film on a wrong. The film has been widely accepted, and there is no need for any controversy," said Perumbavoor. He reiterated that the re-edit was not the result of any external pressure but rather a proactive decision to address concerns raised by some viewers. "After we felt that certain sections of the society were unhappy, we decided to take a re-look and arrived at this decision collectively," he added.

Dismissing speculation of blame directed at director Prithviraj Sukumaran -- who also plays a key role in the film -- Perumbavoor asserted that everyone, including superstar Mohanlal, was fully aware of the creative decisions. "There is no reason to single out Prithviraj," he clarified.

The controversy erupted after Empuraan was criticised by Organiser, an RSS-affiliated publication, which initially targeted Mohanlal and later Prithviraj. In response to the backlash, the filmmakers opted for last-minute cuts. 

With Perumbavoor confirming the re-edit, there is speculation that audiences might rush back to theatres to see what has been changed. The revised version is being processed by Qube Cinema, which will distribute the updated digital print to all theatres and screening centres.

Meanwhile, the silence of Empuraan's scriptwriter, Murali Gopy, has drawn attention, with sources suggesting he is deeply affected by the controversy. However, Perumbavoor downplayed concerns, saying there was nothing unusual about his silence.

Interestingly, Perumbavoor's journey in the Malayalam film industry began as Mohanlal's driver. After earning the superstar's trust, he secured a date for his first production, Narasimham (1999), which went on to become the highest-grossing Malayalam film at the time. Today, his production house, Aashirvad Cinemas, is the biggest in the Malayalam film industry.

In a related development, on Tuesday, a writ petition was filed in the Kerala High Court seeking to stop the screening of the Malayalam film Empuraan The petitioner objected to the depiction of the post-Godhra communal riots in the movie and said that there was a risk of inciting communal violence. Petitioner V. V. Vijesh has been suspended from the BJP.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published from IANS