L2: Empuraan has released in theatres amid much hype and fanfare, owing to success of its predecessor, Lucifer (2019). But is the Mohanlal and Prithviraj Sukumaran film worth your time? Read the review here
Still from Empuraan
Movie: L2: Empuraan
Dir: Prithviraj Sukumaran
Cast: Mohanlal, Prithviraj Sukumaran, Tovino Thomas, Abhimanyu Singh, Manju Warrier, Indrajith
Runtime: 2hrs 59 mins
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Prithviraj Sukumaran's directorial 'L2: Empuraan' was released in theatres today (March 27) amid much fanfare and hype, owing to the mega success of its predecessor, 'Lucifer' (2019). 'Lucifer' marked actor Prithviraj's directorial debut, with Mohanlal in the lead, playing a mysterious and powerful figure—the adopted son of Kerala's ruling party IUF's founder, the now-deceased PKR. While Lucifer focuses on political ideologies of the primary characters, Empuraan takes the narrative forward.
Empuraan, at its core, is a revenge drama that gives some depth and understanding to the largely mysterious character of Zayed Masood (Prithviraj Sukumaran), who, at a single gesture, would lay down his life for Stephen Nedumpally (Mohanlal). With Stephen dominating Lucifer’s narrative, the primary question in the film was: "Who is he?" With his biological roots and connection with PKR being unclear, yet posing as a saviour of the PKR family and, by extension, Kerala, there was much curiosity about who he is. Writer Murali Gopy keeps the suspense going in the second part, even as we are familiarized with Stephen’s alter ego, Ab'raam Qureshi—a man of principles who strongly stands against and fights drug cartels across the globe.
'Empuraan' surpasses 'Lucifer' in terms of ambition and scale. The top-notch cinematography, action choreography, and locations indicate the makers' intention to create a world-class cinematic experience that can potentially change how Malayalam cinema is perceived. However, the film largely lacked the one thing the industry is known for—its rooted and relatable stories and characters.
This is not to say the film is bad. The effort and intent are evident, but the emotions largely fail to connect with the audience. The first half takes its sweet time in building the narrative around Zayed Masood’s past, what Stephen Nedumpally was up to after the events of Lucifer, and how the IUF was functioning under the leadership of Jatin Ramdas (Tovino Thomas).
The context building takes up much of the film giving little space for developments of primary characters, making their parts feel rushed. Even as the second half give hopes of the plot gaining momentum with a power-packed re-entry of Mohanlal as Stephen Nedumpally, the momentary high fails to sustain for long.
Performances:
Mohanlal, as always, is impeccable as both Stephen Nedumpally and Ab'raam Qureshi, bringing depth to his character with a nuanced performance. Known for his fine dialogue delivery and effortless acting skills, Lal is a treat to watch in every scene he graces.
Manju Warrier gets more to do in the second part than just being helpless. As her younger brother Jatin lets power get to his head, she takes it upon herself to live up to her father’s name, do good for society, and emerge as a strong political figure in the IUF.
Tovino Thomas, as Jatin Ramdas, is charming even as he embraces his character's grey shades. Enjoying the newfound power in his hands, he loses sight of his near and dear ones and the larger principles of the party that invited him to take over as their leader.
Sai Kumar, Baiju, Suraj Venjaramoodu have limited screen time but bring the much-needed Kerala charm and politics into play in the otherwise serious and global appeal of Empuraan. Their presence retains the essence of Lucifer.
Technical aspect
Deepak Dev returned to compose the music of Empuraan after Lucifer. It’s a hit and miss—while it works in some parts, in major scenes where Mohanlal and Prithviraj join hands to settle scores, the background music feels amiss for the situation. The screenplay by Murali Gopi could have been crisp and tight. Same goes for editing by Akhilesh Mohan. Too many slow-mo scenes unfortunately hampered the experience rather than elevate them. Sujith Vasudev is brilliant with the camera as he does not leave any moment to make this film look grand.
To sum up, patience is a virtue—Stephen Nedumpally is the result. Sadly, the fruit begins to rot too soon.
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