Is 'L2:Empuraan' paying the price for its depiction of the 2002 riots?
As the Mohanlal-starrer 'L2:Empuraan' continues its dream run at the box office, there seems to be no end to the controversies haunting it - the latest being how co-producer Gokulam Gopalan and director Prithviraj Sukumaran have come under the radar of the Enforcement Directorate and the Income Tax Department.
A day after the Enforcement Directorate conducted searches at the premises of Gokulam Gopalan in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, Empuraan's director Prithviraj Sukumaran, received an Income Tax notice. The IT department has asked for clarification regarding his income in three films – 'Jana Gana Mana', 'Gold' and 'Kaduva', all released in 2022. All three were co-produced by ‘Prithviraj Productions’, the production house owned by the actor.
The notice was sent on March 29, two days after the release of 'Empuraan', and soon after a controversy broke out over the alleged depiction of the Godhra riots in the film. The depiction of a mob of Hindu men carrying swords and going on a rampage triggered the sentiments of right-wing groups. There were also scenes depicting the rape and murder of a pregnant woman.
Following the backlash, the filmmakers had to make 24 edits to the film and re-release it. Lead actor Mohanlal too addressed the controversy, expressing regret over the distress caused to his audience. In his Facebook post, the actor said it was his responsibility to ensure that none of his films spread animosity toward any political movement, ideology, or religious community. Prithviraj reposted the apology on his account.
However, the IT department claims the notice was sent as part of ‘usual procedure’ and as a follow-up to searches conducted at premises related to the actor in 2022. At that time, the IT department had conducted multiple raids across the residences and offices of prominent producers such as Antony Perumbavoor and Listin Stephen.
Prithviraj has been given time till April 29 to respond to the notice.
Interestingly, Prithviraj Productions received appreciation from the Central Ministry for its prompt filing and payment of GST taxes for the financial year 2022-23. The company received the certificate from the Central Board of Indirect Tax, which is under the Union Ministry.
While allegations surface that the central agencies were targetting the makers for the movie's depiction of the riots and the political controversy surrounding it, the ED has vehemently denied it. The agency said Gopalan and his Gokulam Group have been under their scanner since 2023 over a case registered under the Foreign Exchange Management Act. It claims the case involves suspected unauthorised NRI transactions worth nearly Rs 1,000 crore. However, an investigation is underway to see if the money sourced illegally was invested in the film’.
Meanwhile, 'Empuraan' continues its run at the box office. On Day 9 of its release, the movie made Rs 3 crore and its worldwide collections currently stand at Rs 236 crore. The movie could also break the record set by Manjummel Boys which made Rs 240.5 crore.
Entertainment