Antony Perumbavoor, producer of the controversial Mohanlal starrer L2: Empuraan, has been served a notice by the Income Tax Department just a day after the movie's director, Prithviraj Sukumaran, received his. The film has faced backlash from the BJP and right-wing groups since its release in March due to its portrayal of the 2002 Gujarat riots.
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ED raids producer Gokulam Gopala
Recently, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) also raided the Chennai and Kochi offices of Sree Gokulam Chits, a chit fund company owned by Gokulam Gopalan, one of the producers of Empuraan.
According to a report by Asianet News, the notice sent to Perumbavoor seeks clarification on financial transactions related to two of his earlier productions, Lucifer and Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea.
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Voluntary cuts after backlash
Following the backlash, the producers voluntarily re-edited the film with 24 cuts. At the time, Perumbavoor stated that the edits were not made out of fear or threats, saying, “There is no question of being afraid. We live in a society. We never intended to do anything that would hurt the sentiments of anyone.”
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Box office success continues
Despite the controversy, L2: Empuraan is enjoying a record-breaking run at the box office. The film has grossed over ₹250 crores ($29 million) worldwide.₹94.6 crores ($11 million) from the Indian box office, and ₹155 crores ($18 million) internationally.
#L2E #Empuraan now reigns as the highest-grossing film in Malayalam cinema history.
— Mohanlal (@Mohanlal) April 5, 2025
The new industry benchmark.
This moment belongs not just to us but to every heartbeat that echoed in theatres, to every cheer, every tear, to you.
Running successfully in theatres near you. pic.twitter.com/9UldhKybvd
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