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Home > Entertainment News > Regional Indian Cinema News > Article > Prithviraj Sukumaran on Mohanlals L2 Empuraan Get what I want even at the cost of pissing my actors off

Prithviraj Sukumaran on Mohanlal's L2 Empuraan: ‘Get what I want, even at the cost of pissing my actors off’

Updated on: 04 February,2025 07:22 AM IST  |  Mumbai
Mohar Basu | mohar.basu@mid-day.com

Readying the ambitious L2 Empuraan for release, director Prithviraj Sukumaran says he prioritises the film’s story over its scale and megastar Mohanlal

Prithviraj Sukumaran on Mohanlal's L2 Empuraan: ‘Get what I want, even at the cost of pissing my actors off’

Prithviraj Sukumaran

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Prithviraj Sukumaran on Mohanlal's L2 Empuraan: ‘Get what I want, even at the cost of pissing my actors off’
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There is a term Prithviraj Sukumaran uses for himself—“a part-time director”. He may juggle his directorial ventures with his acting career, but there is no denying that he has created one of Malayalam cinema’s biggest franchise films, Lucifer. The sequel, L2 Empuraan, is set to release in March in five languages—Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi. “The fact that it’s a big film is not a result of me chasing one. Its scale and canvas are purely based on what is written on paper. This is an honest pursuit of the narrative progression from part one. Having said that, the story has organically become [pan-India]. It will now resonate better with people from other parts of the country and maybe even across the world. About 30 per cent of the film is in Hindi, and I will retain that in all five versions,” starts Sukumaran.


Mohanlal in  L2 Empuraan
Mohanlal in L2 Empuraan


Led by Mohanlal, the ambitious action thriller comes at a time when Malayalam cinema is having its moment in the sun. As a leading actor-filmmaker in the Kerala film industry, what does Sukumaran think separates Malayalam movies from those of other languages? He points to their ability to make a powerful story palatable for the masses. “Massy isn’t a negative term. The idea is to realise that a massy film can also be great. I have a problem with this idea that mainstream films are inferior to content-driven ones. Massy films are also content-driven. That’s why Manmohan Desai films remain great, or why Salim-Javed were the biggest superstars of the ’70s and ’80s in Bollywood. With L2, I don’t want to give you a rehashed version of Lucifer with clap-trap moments. I’ve honestly pursued the narrative progression of the franchise, and within that, given unpredictable character arcs. It’s intricately plot-driven. As a filmmaker, I need to be aware that the expectation born out of part one’s success cannot dictate how I make part two. I should stay true to my original vision. This film wasn’t born out of part one’s success. This was already envisioned. We already know what the third part will be like,” he smiles.


If a powerful story is Sukumaran’s foundation for the franchise, one of its biggest pillars is leading man Mohanlal. The superstar has known Sukumaran since the latter was a boy, but on set, it was purely an actor-director relationship. “When I was about to do Lucifer, I told myself that I’ll do the film that I’ve envisioned. I’m going to make sure that I get what I want from my actors, even if it is at the cost of pissing them off. Thankfully, because I’m also an actor, I understand what actors look for from directors. I share a wonderful relationship with Mohanlal. He trusts me as a maker. So, when I tell him, ‘I’d like you to do this,’ he understands it and very seldom does he ask me why. It has been an absolute privilege to direct him in three movies.”

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