Prithviraj's mother defends son amid 'Empuraan' controversy
What's the story
Actor and Prithviraj Sukumaran's mother, Mallika Sukumaran, has defended her son as the controversy around L2: Empuraan rages on.
In a Facebook post, she contradicted allegations that the film's lead, Mohanlal, didn't know what he was getting into with the movie's release.
She reiterated that her son has always been honest with those involved with the project and shouldn't be the only one blamed for any issues with Empuraan.
"What wrongdoing has my son committed?" she asked in her post.
Controversy details
Mallika addressed controversy over Gujarat riots depiction
The controversy erupted after right-wing organizations slammed Empuraan for the portrayal of the Gujarat riots.
This prompted the filmmakers to make 17 cuts and re-edit the film.
Earlier, leading Malayalam director Major Ravi had claimed that Mohanlal hadn't seen the preview and was unaware of certain parts of the film.
However, Mallika clarified that her son never deceived anyone associated with the film.
Behind-the-scenes
Mallika shared insights from 'Empuraan' production
Mallika further revealed that everyone involved, including writer Murali Gopy, checked the script together and gave their nod.
"If any changes were needed during filming, writer Murali Gopy was always available to make adjustments. So, how can Prithviraj alone be held accountable after the movie's release?"
"It's heartbreaking to see some people trying to scapegoat Prithviraj without Mohanlal's or the producers' knowledge. As a director, Prithviraj has never deceived anyone associated with this film nor will he ever do so."
Clarification
Mallika has claimed Mohanlal was aware of every scene
She added, "A few months ago, during a phone call, my son told me he was busy with the shoot in Gujarat. He said, 'I'm in the middle of work, amma, Lalettan is here."
"I have to show him every scene we've shot so far and discuss things with Antony.' This clearly proves that there wasn't a single scene in Empuraan that Mohanlal was unaware of."
"It's false to claim that parts of the script were added without Mohanlal's knowledge."
Film success
Mohanlal's apology and the film's success
Mohanlal recently apologized for the controversy, saying, "As an artist, it is my duty to ensure that none of my films are hostile to any political movement, ideology or religious sect."
"Therefore, I and the Empuraan team are sincerely sorry for the distress caused to my loved ones."
A sequel to the successful film Lucifer, Empuraan, hit theaters on March 27.
Despite the controversy, the film has grossed ₹100cr worldwide and continues to perform well at the box office.