Ruffled RSS feathers; Empuraan to get 17 more cuts!!

Entertainment: Following backlash from rightwing factions and an open outrage in RSS mouthpiece against Prithviraj-Mohanlal movie ‘L2: Empuraan’, the film is reportedly set to run a recensored version in theatres next week. According to Manorama News, the director and the film producers, including Aashirvad Cinemas, decided to add 17 fresh cuts to the already Censor Board-certified film.

In a lengthy article published by Organiser, the mouthpiece of RSS, which keeps repeating phrases like ‘anti-Hindu’ & ‘anti-BJP’, it alleges that director Prithviraj Sukumarna used the movie to push his political agenda of anti-Hindu narrative. Organiser claims that the film vilifies an entire Hindu community in the context of Gujarat’s Godhra riots of 2002. Organiser claims that the movie demonises the BJP and targets pro-Hindu ideologies. The article went as far as to claim that Mohanlal fans are disturbed and disappointed over his choice to work in the movie after watching it.

It asserted that the movie must be exposed on a national level as an anti-Hindu, anti-India agenda movie. It claims that the portrayal of Hindus as aggressors and the demonisation of BJP supporters creates a dangerous precedent for the portrayal of sensitive historical events in Indian cinema. It claimed that Empuraan is a medium for spreading anti-Hindu and anti-BJP narratives.

The new version will tone down the violence against women in the movie, and further certain scenes of religious hatred and violence will also be removed. It was learned that one of the producers, Gokulam Gopalan, requested that Prithviraj make the necessary changes to avoid hurting religious sentiments.

Meanwhile, Many, including Left-wing and Congress-affiliated accounts, praised the film for allegedly exposing the "Sangh Parivar agenda."

However, BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar has, in contrast, Hindutva groups criticised the film, accusing it of attacking the ideology and attempting to appease "anti-national elements." Some even called for a boycott of the film.

However, according to Indian Express, BJP Kerala president Rajeev Chandrasekhar posted a message on Facebook offering his best wishes to the Empuraan team, “Best wishes, Mohanlal, Prithviraj Sukumaran and team! Look forward to watching and enjoying #L2E #Empuraan one of these days!”