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Empuraan Takes the Big Screen by Storm Mohanlal’s much-anticipated action thriller ‘Empuraan’ has finally hit theaters worldwide on March 27, 2025. Directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran and written by Murali Gopy, the film serves as the second installment in the ‘Lucifer’ trilogy. The movie has been jointly produced by Aashirvad Cinemas and Sree Gokulam Movies, with Lyca Productions presenting it.
Star-Studded Cast Elevates the Film Mohanlal reprises his role as Khureshi Ab’raam / Stephen Nedumpally, leading an ensemble cast featuring Prithviraj Sukumaran, Manju Warrier, Tovino Thomas, Indrajith Sukumaran, Abhimanyu Singh, Eriq Ebouaney, Jerome Flynn, Saikumar, Baiju Santhosh, and Suraj Venjaramoodu. This stellar lineup has played a crucial role in creating immense buzz around the film.
Fan Reactions on Social Media
Mixed Reviews on Social Media The film has generated significant excitement among audiences, and early reactions are pouring in.
Twitter user Alim Shan shared: “Empuraan could’ve been a landmark film for Mollywood with good writing and a bit of substance. The visuals, production design, and other technical aspects were top-notch, but the lack of high moments and the excessively long duration backfired. The jungle and handcuff episodes were fire, but the rest was meh.”
#Empuraan: could’ve been a landmark film for Mollywood with good writing & a bit of subtance. Visuals, production design & other technical aspects were topnotch but scarcity of high moments & tiringly long duration backfired.
Jungle & handcuff episodes were fire, rest meh. pic.twitter.com/gfYQCd4LEA
— ALIM SHAN (@AlimShan_) March 27, 2025
On the other hand, user Urstruly Vinodh tweeted: “Blockbuster reports all over! Empuraan is a completely new initiative aimed at taking the Malayalam industry to new heights. It can be witnessed in every frame.”
Blockbuster reports all over 🔥 🙌 #Empuraan #Mohanlal𓃵 https://t.co/Xrx7fZi12V
— Urstruly Vinodh (@UrsVinodhDHFM) March 27, 2025
Another user, Binil, added: “BlockBusterEmpuraan The film that took the Mollywood industry to a new level! PrithviOfficial, hats off to you, man! Mohanlal is always great in acting. Don’t miss this masterpiece.”
The film that took the Mollywood industry to a new level 🙌🏻!@PrithviOfficial hats off to you man 🫡❤️@Mohanlal always 😌🔥
Don’t miss the masterpiece 🫵🏻#Empuraan . #Mohanlal pic.twitter.com/qVnFBgzk10
— B_iNi_L .©L (@2255Binil) March 27, 2025
A fan compared Empuraan to KGF, calling it Malayalam cinema’s own blockbuster. The user wrote, “Lalettan’s Empuraan will be another KGF 2—a sureshot Indian industry blockbuster! It will be the first 500-crore film in the Malayalam film industry.”
#L2E #Empuraan – Bang ON entry for Mohanlal after an Hour with peak commercial elevation. Hollywood level visuals & stunts🥵
Director Prithviraj 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/WdHqFt1K00
— AmuthaBharathi (@CinemaWithAB) March 27, 2025
Another user shared insights on the film’s technical aspects, tweeting, “#L2Empuraan Review: FIRST HALF – Good & engaging. #Mohanlal shines. The story is well-built, and every star in the cast delivers a terrific performance so far. BGM and technical aspects stand out. #PrithvirajSukumaran’s direction is impressive.”
Mohanlal’s #Empuraan became the biggest opener in kerala beating leo🔥
Some kids blamed Mohanlal’s star power.
Mudinja thoda solra – തൊടില്ല അടിച്ചു ഭിത്തിയിൽ കേറ്റും 🗿
തൊട്ട് നോക്കെടാ. ഏട്ടനാണ് ഏട്ടൻ 👑
No hate to #ThalapathyVijay pic.twitter.com/idsfS66XBk
— 𝗦𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗦𝗕 (@Sandeepofficl) March 26, 2025
Journey From Lucifer to Empuraan
From Concept to Reality: The Making of ‘Empuraan’ The idea of ‘Lucifer’ as a trilogy was conceived from the very beginning. Following the success of the first film, ‘Empuraan’ was officially announced in June 2019. Initially planned for a mid-2020 release, production was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Writer Murali Gopy used this time to expand the storyline, ensuring it remained accessible as a standalone film.
The screenplay was finalized in July 2022, with pre-production starting the next month. Lyca Productions joined the project in September 2023, marking their entry into Malayalam cinema. Financial disagreements led to Gopalam joining as a co-producer in March 2025.
Filming lasted 145 days, from October 2023 to December 2024, covering locations in India, the UK, the US, and the UAE. The movie is also the first Malayalam film to be released in IMAX and EPIQ formats.
Star-Studded Cast and Crew
Meet the Crew Behind the Spectacle Directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran, ‘Empuraan’ is produced by Antony Perumbavoor and Gokulam Gopalan under Aashirvad Cinemas and Sree Gokulam Movies. Murali Gopy penned the screenplay, with cinematography by Sujith Vaassudev and editing by Akhilesh Mohan. Deepak Dev composed the music, while M R Rajakrishnan handled sound design.
Executive producers Suresh Balaje and George Pius worked alongside production controller Sidhu Panakkal and art director Mohandas. The action sequences were choreographed by Stunt Silva, and VFX supervision was handled by Praveen Ghanta with work from YFX Studios, Labyrinth Studios Mumbai, Binary Circus, Paperplane, Ident, and DTM.
Dubbing, Special Effects, and Post-Production Excellence RP Bala directed the multilingual dubbing, while DI work was done at Annapurna Studios under colorist Vivek Anand. The film’s promotional efforts were handled by Poffactio, and Sinat Savier managed still photography.
A Milestone for Malayalam Cinema
A New Chapter for Malayalam Cinema With a grand release and strong initial reception, ‘Empuraan’ is set to make its mark in Malayalam cinema history. Whether it will surpass ‘Lucifer’ in terms of impact remains to be seen, but fans are certainly in for a cinematic treat.
