Congress MP Hibi Eden moves adjournment motion over 'L2: Empuraan' row

Hibi Eden said that Empuraan 'is a world-class Malayalam movie' that has seen success at the box office, but the Sangh Parivar is attempting to suppress the movie

Congress MP Hibi Eden on Tuesday moved an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha regarding the ongoing controversy surrounding the Malayalam film L2: Empuraan. The film has been facing backlash over its depiction of incidents related to the Gujarat riots.  

 

In his notice to the Secretary-General of the Lok Sabha, Eden said that L2: Empuraan is a "world-class Malayalam movie" that has witnessed immense success at the box office. However, he expressed concern that the Sangh Parivar is attempting to suppress the movie due to its portrayal of certain historical events. He argued that such protests threaten artistic freedom and democratic values.

 

 

"The film shows the truth about the Gujarat riots and exposes the agenda of Sangh to divide Kerala and capture control of our coastline and therefore the truth is hurting BJP and the Sangh Parivar. We cannot let threats and violent protests by RSS-BJP undermine creative freedom or else we would cease to remain a democracy," Eden said in his motion.

 

The Congress MP from Kerala urged the House to discuss the matter in detail and take a stand against what he called an authoritarian attempt to curb free expression. He claimed that India’s democratic fabric is at risk if political forces are allowed to dictate artistic narratives.

 

Eden’s adjournment motion has been sent to the Speaker, as well as the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.

 

Controversy around Empuraan

 

Empuraan, the second film in the Lucifer series, has sparked debate due to its portrayal of right-wing politics and its alleged references to the 2002 Gujarat riots.

 

An article in Organiser, an RSS-linked magazine, accused the film of promoting an "anti-Hindu and anti-BJP narrative," which could "further divide an already divided India." The magazine also claimed that the film’s depiction of the Gujarat riots was "clearly biased" and "concerning."

 

The issue soon became political, with the Congress and Left parties accusing the BJP of being intolerant toward the film. However, no BJP leader criticised the film outright.

 

Newly appointed BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar said that he had no plans to watch the Mohanlal-starrer. He added that films relying on distorted facts to create a narrative are bound to fail.

 

AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal alleged that the BJP's reaction to the film reflected the intolerance of the Sangh Parivar. He pointed out that movies like The Accidental Prime Minister and Emergency were critical of the Congress, yet the BJP welcomed them.

 

Mohanlal issues apology  

 

Malayalam actor Mohanlal apologised on social media, acknowledging that certain political and social themes in Empuraan had upset many viewers.

 

"...As an artist, it is my duty to ensure that none of my films is hostile to any political movement, ideology, or religious group," Mohanlal wrote on Facebook.  

 

"Therefore, the team of Empuraan and I sincerely regret the distress caused to my loved ones, and with the realisation that the responsibility for it lies with all of us who worked behind the film. We have decided together to remove such themes from the film," he added.  

 

Due to the controversy, the movie will be edited to remove 17 scenes, including riot sequences and certain depictions of violence against women.