L2 Empuraan Censorship Row Sparks Heated Exchange Between BJP's Suresh Gopi and CPM's John Brittas in Rajya Sabha:

A fierce verbal exchange took place in the Rajya Sabha between Union Minister and BJP MP Suresh Gopi and CPM MP John Brittas, amid allegations that political pressure influenced the censorship of the Malayalam film "L2 Empuraan".

The argument broke out during a discussion on the Waqf Bill, where Brittas criticized the BJP and claimed that Kerala would resist its influence.

Brittas Alleges Political Interference in Film Censorship

Brittas referenced L2 Empuraan, a political action thriller starring Mohanlal, which has come under fire for its portrayal of sensitive events like the 2002 Gujarat riots. The film is currently screening with multiple cuts, a point that Brittas said was the result of political intervention.

“There is a character in the film Munna. You can see that Munna here [in BJP benches]. Malayalis will figure it out,” Brittas stated, drawing parallels between a film character and real-life politics.

Suresh Gopi Denies Political Pressure

Suresh Gopi, an actor and a key political figure from Kerala, rejected the allegations, claiming that the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) did not apply pressure to censor the movie.

“There was no censor pressure on the producers of Empuraan,” Gopi said.

He further referenced other films like TP 51 and Left Right Left, which had been critical of the CPM government, challenging whether such films could be screened again in Kerala under the current leadership.

Clarifies Removal of His Name from the Film

Suresh Gopi also addressed reports about his name being removed from the film’s thank-you credits.

“I was the first person to call the producers and ask them to delete my name. It was my request,” he clarified.

He stated that the decision to cut 17 scenes from the film was made by the producers and the lead actor, with the director’s approval — not under external pressure.

Controversy Around L2 Empuraan’s Content

Directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran, L2 Empuraan faced criticism for its fictionalized depiction of the Gujarat riots. The character Zayed Masood, played by Prithviraj, is shown as deeply affected by the violence, which sparked political reactions.

In response to public objections, the filmmakers approached the CBFC voluntarily and made 24 cuts to the movie to address concerns.