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Mohanlal’s Empuraan Re-censored and 2 Mins 08 Secs chopped out; Will it impact LIFETIME Box Office collections?
Mohanlal’s L2: Empuraan loses 2 mins 08 secs due to political backlash. Will the censorship impact its lifetime box office? Trade experts weigh in on its ₹500 crore prospects.
Mohanlal's L2: Empuraan, the much-awaited sequel to the superhit film Lucifer, has been making waves at the box office, swiftly entering the ₹200 crore club in 5 days alone. Shockingly, just as the film is on its way to breaking records, it has encountered an unexpected challenge in the form of controversy. A flashback sequence in the movie, which portrays sensitive and graphic violence involving Hindus and Muslims, related to the Godhra Riots days, sparked political protests. It prompted the film to undergo re-censorship, resulting in 24 cuts and 2 minutes and 8 seconds of footage chopped out from the already existing film.
While these cuts have stirred debate, the impact on the film’s narrative seems minimal as per the cuts given. As the core storyline remains intact even after this chopping, and the film continues to offer the same action-packed sequences and dramatic scenes, the impact of the cuts might be minimal. As the movie has everything that is expected from a Mohanlal film present, surely it won't affect the chances of Empuraan at the box office. However, the controversy raises a larger issue now. Whether such censorship will deter filmmakers from tackling bold and sensitive subjects in the future is something to be seen. Despite its massive star power, if a blockbuster film like Empuraan has to face this level of scrutiny, it may discourage other filmmakers from exploring similar themes, say film analysts.
The Kerala High Court’s recent ruling also works in Empuraan’s favor. The court dismissed a plea from a BJP leader seeking a ban on the film, labeling the move as a publicity stunt. This legal victory ensures the film will remain in theaters, untouched by further political interference.
Will Empuraan still clock ₹500 crores?
Despite the setback caused by censorship, Empuraan's box office performance remains strong as of now. The movie has already proven its ability with a record-breaking ₹65 crore Opening Day globally, and its momentum continued for the whole Ugadi-Ramzan weekend. With no major releases expected in April, especially in Kerala and Bollywood as well, the film has a clear runway to continue its dominance. Perhaps that's the reason trade circles are predicting a ₹500 crores in lifetime collections for this Prithviraj Sukumaran directorial.
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