KOCHI: Mohanlal’s highly anticipated film, 'L2: Empuraan', has ignited a fierce debate on social media with some viewers interpreting it as having a political undertone that allegedly disparages right-wing ideologies.
Certain right-wing social media handles expressed discontent, suggesting that director Prithviraj had deceived Mohanlal and his fans.
A Facebook post by ‘Sanathana Dharma’ accused Prithviraj of deceiving Mohanlal and his fans. Meanwhile, media outlet HinduPost commented, “The latest Mohanlal-starrer, 'Empuraan', has revealed itself to be an overt Hindu-bashing propaganda film, portraying Hindus as villains amidst the ongoing genocide of Hindus across the subcontinent, including India.”
Pratheesh Vishwanath, the founder of Hindu Seva Kendram and a key figure aligned with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), publicly accused the filmmakers of having ulterior motives
As the day unfolded, Left-leaning social media handles, initially cautious, began praising and congratulating Prithviraj for his “courage in telling a truthful story.”
Bineesh Kodiyeri, son of former CPM state secretary and politburo member Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, posted, “The filmmakers, with their substantial budget, deserve bravery awards and congratulations for attempting to reveal the truth.”
Some Left-leaning social media handles exercised restraint, warning party members that despite the film’s criticism of the right and BJP, it subtly promotes their ideology.
“It is a trap and brilliant filmmaking,” they opined. Some viewers noted that the Left-wing ideology is completely dismissed in the film, with no discussion or representation due to its perceived inability to counter the right-wing ideology.
On the other hand, Congress supporters were thrilled, with former MLA V T Balram taking to Facebook to express his amusement at the film’s reception. He even endorsed the term “Saffron Comrade”, which likely hints at the alleged secret collaboration between the Left and the BJP.
However, one viewer had a different take. Praising Prithviraj as “very brilliant”, the viewer noted that the director cleverly gave the initial impression that his film was aligned against “jihadis”, enticing the right-wingers to watch. Then, the viewer added, he pulled the rug from under their feet, tactfully using the opposing audience’s outrage to generate more interest in the movie.
