The Mohanlal-Starr L2 appears to be in terms of 2002 Gujarat Pogrome: Emperan, directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran, has led a major online backlash against the film’s supporters against the film.
Soon after the release of the much awaited film on Thursday (March 27, 2025), the social media platform was filled with messages calling for its boycott, some users also posted images of online tickets that they canceled after hearing about the contents of the film.
ImpuanWhich states that painted events are all imaginary, begins with a broader scenes of a communal flare that lasts for more than 15 minutes. While the title sequences are seen mentioning the burning of the coach of Sabarmati Express carrying saffron-clad men at Godha railway station, early scenes reflect mob violence in which many Muslims are killed. Some sequences appear to be a reference to the Bilkis Bano case, with 11 people convicted for collectively and murder of several members of a family. Baba Bajrangi, who leads the crowd, appears to be a reference in the context of Bajrang Dal leader Babu Bajrangi, who was sentenced to life imprisonment to master the Naroda Patiya massacre.
A Twitter handle is called @hindupost Impuan “A lump sum Hindu-dominated promotional film that paints Hindus as a villain” while another called @baba_Mocha posted “Happy I did not even try to book. Not spending a single rupee on it.” Several posts on a similar vein were posted in social media platforms.
Under the social media post by BJP state president of Kerala, Rajiv Chandrashekhar, in which he wished the Mohanlal-Pratitiraj team on the release of the film, several supporters criticized the leader for supporting the film.
Most of the online backlash was done with the aim of Prithviraj and Mohanlal, while some users also named the screenwriter Murali Gopi. @Abhijithnair01 a user named, who himself called a staunch Mohanlal fan, posted: “Mr. @mohanlal, this is a betrayal. It’s not just creative freedom. It looks like an ideological attack. It will be the last Mohanalal film that I ever watch.”
Meanwhile, BJP leader Mount Ramesh said that a film should be seen as a film, and the people of Kerala have “general knowledge” to do so.
Although the film has been made a few times to the left, Binesh Kodiary, son of former CPI (M) Kerala State Secretary Kodiary Balakrishnan, appreciated the “courage” of the film’s makers in today’s India to portray the 2002 riots.
Published – March 28, 2025 12:41 pm IST
