The second installment of the “Lucifer” trilogy, which has created a record-breaking success in the history of Malayalam cinema, “L2: Empuran”, is not just a sequel but an enriching cinematic experience. Director Prithvirajsukumaran has adapted Muraligopi’s multi-layered screenplay to such a grand scale that shooting spread across three continents, a budget of ₹175 crore and formats ranging from IMAX to EPIQ give a mere idea of its scale. Mohanlal adds depth to the mysterious charisma of Khureshi-Abraham/Stephen Nedumpalli, while Prithviraj’s Zayed Masood emerges as a vivid symbol of revenge and human tragedy. Socio-politics, corporate intrigue, global crime world and personal revenge—the film, though it packs it all into 179 minutes, never feels cumbersome. Sujith Vasudev’s cinematography takes the audience frame by frame on a vast canvas, while Deepak Dev’s background score adds to the tension and drama of the plot. “L2: Empuran” not only advances the definition of Malayalam cinema with its political satire, technical excellence and emotional depth, but also presents a unique cinematic feast for the pan-Indian audience.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Title | L2: Empuraan (stylised as L2: E.M.P.U.R.A.A.N) |
| Language / Country | Malayalam / India |
| Genre | Action‑thriller, political drama |
| Release Date | 27 March 2025 (theatrical; Standard, IMAX, EPIQ formats) |
| Running Time | 179 minutes |
| Director | Prithviraj Sukumaran |
| Writer | Murali Gopy |
| Producers | Antony Perumbavoor, Subaskaran Allirajah, Gokulam Gopalan |
| Production Companies | Aashirvad Cinemas, Lyca Productions, Sree Gokulam Movies |
| Main Cast | Mohanlal, Prithviraj Sukumaran, Abhimanyu Singh, Tovino Thomas, Manju Warrier, Indrajith Sukumaran, Jerome Flynn, Andrea Tivadar, plus cameo appearances by Rick Yune & Pranav Mohanlal |
| Cinematography | Sujith Vaassudev |
| Editing | Akhilesh Mohan |
| Music | Deepak Dev (score & songs) |
| Budget | ₹175 crore ≈ US $21 million |
| Box‑Office Gross | ₹268.05 crore ≈ US $32 million (highest‑grossing Malayalam film to date) |
| Key Locations Filmed | India, United Kingdom, United States, United Arab Emirates (145 shooting days) |
| Notable Technical Formats | Shot and mastered for IMAX; also released in EPIQ large‑screen format |
| Critical / Commercial Note | Generally positive reviews; praised for scale, performances, political undercurrents |
L2: Empuraan Story
Set against the backdrop of the 2002 Gujarat riots, “L2: Empuran” presents an explosive mix of revenge, power-balance and international crime. Child Zayed Damsood flees the riots with his family, but loses everything at the hands of radical leader Balraj Patel and his brother Munna. Years later, Zayed’s desire brings him on a journey from Dubai-London to meet Khureshi Abraham alias Stephen Nedumpalli—the mysterious adopted son of former Kerala Chief Minister P.K. Ramadoss, who is now the kingpin of the global crime world.
Here in Kerala, the current Chief Minister Jatin Ramdas is facing a barrage of corruption charges and the right-wing Akhand Shakti Morcha is gaining political upper hand. Jatin leaves his party to form a new entity and joins hands with Balraj behind the scenes. Meanwhile, MI6 agent Boris Oliver, Interpol officer Robert McCarthy, African drug-lord Kabuga, and Russian organized criminal Sergei Leonov all struggle to either stop Abraham’s smuggling or profit from it.
Abraham uses his information to destroy Kabugha’s racket in Iraq and returns to Kerala after spreading the fake news of his death. Jatin’s sister Priyadarshini is injured in a protest against a controversial dam; Abraham saves her and puts her ahead in the race for the post of Chief Minister – in return, he holds Jatin hostage and exposes his old black money. A flashback reveals that Abraham had already freed Zayed from the terrorists’ custody and made him swear that he would fulfill his promise.
In the climax, Zayed-Abraham kill Balraj-Munna at the same spot where Zayed’s family died. Priyadarshini enters the electoral fray with new hope, while Abraham forces Jatin to support him by leaving him alive. Then the leader of the pro-Kabuga Shentriads bombs Jatin’s helicopter and kills Boris, challenging Abraham to open war. In a post-credits scene, he opens files on Bombay in 1981, hinting that more layers of Abraham’s past are about to be revealed.
Movie Review
Prithvirajsukumaran takes a giant leap as a filmmaker with “L2: Empuraan”. While “Lucifer” was a strong political thriller that lived up to the expectations of fans, “Empuraan” expands that phenomenon to new dimensions. The film exudes an international aura right from the opening frame—grand locations, awe-inspiring shots, multi-layered storytelling and a seamless expansion of the world of the first part. There is a deliberate awareness in every scene; nostalgia rides on the edge, but it never overpowers the progress. The subtlety of character development gives the film an emotional grounding—it becomes a character-driven journey, not just an eye-popping spectacle.
Yet an interesting irony remains—Malayalam audiences welcome Hindi-Telugu behemoths like “Baahubali”, “Salaar”, “Pushpa” or “KGF” with regalia, but when their own industry tries to scale up, doubts often arise. Realism has been the hallmark of Malayalam cinema, but when it scales up and adopts a pan-India vision, there is more doubt than applause. Prithviraj breaks this barrier and proves that Malayalam films can be at par with India’s biggest cinematic ventures. He subtly weaves in Zayedumsood’s past tragedy so that its backdrop does not overpower the main story; by the end of the film, the foundation for his transformation from Stephen Nedumpalli to Khureshi-Abraham is laid, creating a thrilling wait for the next chapter. Whether you love or criticize this film, its confidence, scale and craft cannot be denied—Prithviraj has redefined how high Malayalam cinema can fly.
Viewer Shilpajit’s experience also underlines this ambition. According to him, the film reaches a different level due to the well-planned action and visual effects. In particular, the firmness and sensitivity that Manju Warrier adds to his character is commendable. Baiju Santosh also leaves a deep impression despite limited screen time. Prithviraj’s multifaceted talent once again amazes the audience—be it comedy or romance or the intense seriousness here, he is convincing in every shade. And then there is ‘Lalettan’ Mohanlal—like a fine wine, getting better with age; his dialogue delivery has the same dignity, the same effortless dominance.
The villains, Abhimanyu Singh and SukantGoyal, deserve a special mention; both of them made the antagonistic roles so lively that whenever they came on screen, a silence of danger seemed to spread. Indrajithsukumaran serves as the culmination of the narrative threads—his presence connects several plot lines. Tovinothomas’ character death was unexpected, but more surprising was his character’s negative transformation; this transformation gave the film additional depth and showcased Tovino’s acting range.
Shilpa finally advises everyone to watch the film—at least once; and she herself would book tickets again to relive the royal entry of Lalettan-Prithvi. In her words—it’s a fan-girl moment, but above all it’s a celebration of the potential of Malayalam cinema, which every moviegoer should experience.
Movie Trailer
Conclusion
“L2: Empuran” strikes a rare balance of grandeur and subtlety. Prithviraj’s directorial prowess, the strong Mohanlal-Prithviraj duo, the powerful performances of Manju Warrier and co-stars, SujithVasudev’s large-screen cinematography and DeepakDev’s energetic music—all the elements make this a universally entertaining experience. The political intrigue, personal drama, emotional jugalbandi and stylish action take this beyond being a mere sequel. There may be minor flaws, but the ambition and the brilliance of the craft outweigh them. This is a bold milestone for Malayalam cinema, which only does justice to being seen on the big screen.
