L2: Empumaan - Bajarangi Mera, Bhaijaan

 

L2: Empuraan

Malayalam, 2025

Genre: Political Thriller, Action

Where to watch: local theaters

Director: Prithviraj Sukumaran

Stars: Mohanlal, Manju Warrier, Abhimanyu Singh, Prithviraj Sukumaran, Kishore

Mohan's Measure ⭐⭐⭐

As I write these words, I learn that Mohanal is issuing a public apology and has decided to make significant cuts in L2 to appeal to the demands of certain political factions of India who have take exception to its tone and content.

That being said, I can only say that L2, like its predecessor, is pure entertainment.  Like the movies of Marvel, it creates a fictional universe for us to explore, a god-like hero for us to idolize, and demon-like villains for us to jeer at.  While all fictional universes undoubtedly pattern real life and real opinions, in my unqualified opinion, they should not be taken as political or religious rhetoric

But, the facts remain.  The first 20 - 25 minutes of this movie are a brutally graphic portrayal of the extremes of religious fanaticism in populist mindset, and how this can and often does, lead to influence in politics.  Take the right stand, and you win elections.  It is in showing the other side that Empuraan has been brought down from his reign.

As a movie, while entertaining, Empuraan leaves us with lots of loose ends.  Unlike its predecessor, L2 takes on an international flavor, adding elements of  spy thrillers with its tale of warring gangs owning the world, and an anti-Christ character being the kingpin.  There is something deeply dystopian in this too, but it is when this translates into the world of Stephen Nedumpally that that things go awry.

Kerala is now seen, like its neighbor Tamil Nadu, as the last bastion of true secularism, fighting for survival in a country rapidly shifting towards the conservative, perhaps even the reactionary.  The once idealistic Jathin Ramdas now feels bringing God in to the equation would help him keep a strong hold on God's Own Country. So, in an almost schizophrenic departure from the previous movie, Tovino Thomas' character becomes a wanna-be dictator, breaking away from the party that supports him to ride the coattails of nationalism.  

The positive result of this is some superb acting by Manju Warrier as Priyadarshini, who presents herself as a feminist, liberal opponent to the right-wing spirit.  This is good stuff, and how I wish the movie focused on this subject rather than the needless political violence and the now "in your face" superpower of Mohanlal's once composed Khureshi Abram.  Had this tale been told in this local level, with the subtlety of the original, it may not have had all the controversy that it now most certainly does.

While I cannot say you will not have fun watching this movie, be forewarned that you will have a devil of a time piecing it all together.  Make sure to see it in the theaters though.  Because what you will see on OTT will be duly, and most conscientiously, a censored version.