In reference to the many, complex layers of the Mohanlal-starring film, which was a gift that kept getting better with each viewing, actor-director prithviraj Sukumaran stated a month after Lucifer's 2019 success that neither he nor writer Murali Gopy were suited to make a flat film. Even when you take away Empuraan's budget, scope, marketing, and celebrity cast, it's still one of the reasons why the buzz was at an all-time high. It is expected of this writer-director team to respect the intelligence of their audience without sacrificing any of their intended meaning for the sake of thoughtless amusement.
The makers of Empuraan are presenting a malayalam film on a magnitude that has never been done before. Action scenes with military helicopters, famous shots from US locales, and even a computer-generated opening credits sequence that would pierce viewers' hearts and minds with the intensity of what's happening are all included. Next, prithviraj introduces Khureshi Ab'raam, also known as stephen Nedumpally (Mohanlal), his main character. Every time the character appears on screen, the director makes sure there is a certain degree of gravity.
Similar to lucifer, mohanlal has a restricted amount of screen time here, which increases the effect. Similar to lucifer, a stirring speech is given amidst the political unrest of the IUF party. At key points, deepak Dev's songs Kadavule Pole and Empuraane, which have a faster tempo than lucifer, manage to send the listeners into a frenzy. Murali's literature is full of biblical allegories involving fallen angels and resurrection, much like Lucifer. However, the film is less complex than Lucifer. It's more offensive to you. Although the placement of the L motifs was creative, they eventually became redundant.
Compared to lucifer, the stakes are higher this time around because the film tracks the Khureshi Ab'raam nexus and the MI6 while also highlighting current political events in Kerala. The emergence of a right-wing political party in the state and its sinister purpose are another way that Murali's literature reflects contemporary sociopolitical realities. However, the frequent switching between world events, such as the gold-and-diamond nexus, African issues, Chinese drug gangs and the MI6, and Keralan happenings, prevents you from focusing on just one of them.
It almost looks as though the film's focus was on world-building rather than crafting an engaging narrative. The emotional connection is provided by Zayed Masood (Prithviraj), not by any of the individuals whose backstories are found in Lucifer. In terms of scope and narrative, the filmmaker deserves praise for ensuring that the scenes pertaining to the massacre that claimed Masood's family were given the same weight as the action or Mohanlal's (many) opening passages.
No sequence more clearly demonstrates Mohanlal's gravitas in the part of Khureshi Ab'raam than when he turns around and shows his "face to the world." Additionally, he is not required to wear his political identity as stephen Nedumpally this time around, which carries with it a certain amount of arrogance that comes through in every exchange he has with Kabuga, Jatin (Tovino), and Balraj (Abhimanyu Singh).
In Empuraan, while the style may have overshadowed performers, Manju Warrier's Priyadarshini has more screen time and is one of the film's highlights. Is Bobby, played by vivek Oberoi, a more memorable antagonist than abhimanyu Singh, who plays a substantial part in Empuraan? Most likely not. As cm Jatin, Tovino exudes charm and the conceit of a man who thinks he is in charge, even if he is obviously not.
Overall, This ambitious sequel to lucifer by mohanlal and prithviraj Sukumaran is breathtaking in its scope and fans of both actors will be entertained by the film's expansion of the universe, but still...
Ratings: ⭐⭐⭐
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