In a significant ruling on Tuesday, the Kerala High Court refused to grant an interim stay on the screening of the controversial Malayalam film ‘L2: Empuraan’. The movie, starring superstar Mohanlal, has been at the center of heated debates due to its critical portrayal of right-wing politics.
Justice C S Dias, overseeing the case, has issued notices to the Central Government and the Censor Board to present their views concerning the petition filed by V V Vijeesh, a resident of Thrissur. Vijeesh claims that the film’s continued screening might incite communal violence and disrupt public order.
Despite these claims, Justice Dias raised questions about the petitioner’s motives, suggesting the plea might have been filed for publicity. The court also highlighted the fact that the Censor Board had already approved the film for public viewing, indicating the legitimacy of its content under current regulations.
The state government corroborated that no legal complaints had been registered against the film in Kerala, undermining the arguments for its potential to cause unrest.
In a related development, producer Antony Perumbavoor announced earlier that the film had been slightly edited, with just over two minutes of footage removed. This decision was described as a collective agreement among the producers and main actors, including Mohanlal and Prithviraj Sukumaran, dismissing any suggestions that it was made under duress.
‘L2: Empuraan’, serving as the sequel to the hit ‘Lucifer’, has sparked widespread criticism, particularly from the Sangh Parivar, due to its depiction of sensitive historical events like the Gujarat riots. Nonetheless, the film has also received support from various quarters for its bold narrative.
