Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has strongly condemned the right-wing hate campaign targeting the Malayalam movie L2: Empuraan and its makers. A day after watching the film, CM Pinarayi issued a statement on Sunday, March 30, criticising the right-wing for unleashing communal propaganda against the movie, its actors, and its crew. The Mohanlal-starrer has sparked controversy over its portrayal of communal violence, which bears a strong resemblance to the Gujarat 2002 riots. Several right-wing groups, calling the depiction 'anti-Hindu,' have threatened to boycott the film.
The CM pointed out that the film depicts one of history’s most brutal genocides, provoking outrage among the ideological architects of the Sangh Parivar. "It's not just online propaganda; even BJP and RSS leaders are issuing direct threats," he said.
Earlier in the day, actor Mohanlal issued a statement responding to the concerns about the film. Acknowledging that certain aspects of the film had caused distress to some of his fans, he assured that his team had decided to remove such references. The filmmakers have decided to cut 17 contentious scenes and censor the movie.
Pinarayi described this as a disturbing trend aimed at stifling artistic expression through fear. “This climate of intimidation created by the Sangh Parivar is deeply concerning. Targeting a work of art simply because it takes a stand against communalism and exposes its horrors is unacceptable in a democracy,” he said.
Further, stating that freedom of expression must be protected in any democratic society, he added, “The calls to ban and destroy artistic works are manifestations of a fascist mindset and a direct violation of democratic rights. The ability to create, critique, and engage with cinema should remain unhindered.”
Pinarayi also called for a united stand to defend Kerala’s legacy of secularism and progressive values. “This land has always upheld democratic and secular principles. It is imperative that we raise our collective voice against communal forces attempting to silence creativity,” he said.
