Even After 24 Cuts, ‘Empuraan’ Faces Fresh Criticism

The film, directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran and written by Murali Gopy, had already faced scrutiny after two critical articles from Organiser, a publication linked to the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh). However, a fresh article published on Wednesday has reignited the debate, raising further questions about the film’s content, alleged biases, and the motivations of its makers.

The new Organiser article claims that despite changes to character names and dialogue, the film retains elements that paint a controversial picture. The plot reportedly revolves around Masood Saeed (played by Prithviraj), a character who, after losing his family in the 2002 Gujarat riots, joins the terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) to seek revenge against Hindus.

The article alleges that the revised version of the film still portrays Islamic terrorists who shelter Masood in a sympathetic light and includes a scene where a young boy is encouraged to take up arms against India.

"The protests were never about removing the Gujarat riots from the film," the article states. "The demand was for a balanced portrayal, including the Godhra train burning. However, while the timeline has been vaguely changed from 2002 to a few years ago, the core narrative remains the same—depicting Hindus as villains," it claims.

The article further accuses the film of shifting the blame for Islamist terrorism onto Hindus, questioning the choice of the protagonist’s name, Masood Saeed, which it claims closely resembles Hafiz Saeed (LeT) and Masood Azhar (Jaish-e-Mohammed)—both internationally designated terrorists.

Beyond the film's content, the publication also targets Prithviraj Sukumaran and Murali Gopy, raising pointed questions:

Were controversial elements present in the original script that were later removed?

What scenes related to the national anthem were cut by the censor board?

Were anti-national forces involved in the film's production, both in India and abroad?

Why did one of the original producers withdraw from the project?

What are Prithviraj’s financial dealings and Gulf connections?

Did external influences shape Murali Gopy's script in an anti-national direction?

The article concludes by urging Kerala society to critically examine what it calls an "agenda" being pushed by the makers of Empuraan. It argues that films should not hide behind the excuse of entertainment and accuses the filmmakers of attempting to create communal divisions under the guise of artistic freedom.

"Both Prithviraj and Murali Gopy should apologize for attempting to push anti-national narratives in the name of cinema," the article demands.

Despite the renewed controversy, the revised version of Empuraan is set to hit screens starting Wednesday. Whether the backlash affects its box-office run or prompts further changes remains to be seen.