CBFC Cuts for Empuraan: A Detailed Breakdown

Mohanlal’s much-anticipated film L2: Empuraan, directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran, underwent significant censorship before and after its release. The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) initially granted it a U/A certificate with eight modifications, primarily reducing violent scenes and muting certain dialogues. However, following controversies post-release, the filmmakers voluntarily implemented an additional 24 cuts to avoid further backlash.

Censorship Modifications

Violence Reduction: Several graphic scenes, including those depicting violence against women, were either trimmed or removed entirely. This included a disturbing sequence of a woman’s head being slammed against a wall.

Dialogue Muting & Changes: References to specific years and religious sentiments were altered. A character’s name, initially perceived as controversial, was changed to avoid misinterpretation.

Scene Removals & Modifications: Certain political and religious references were either removed or altered, and a few violent visuals were cut to maintain sensitivity.

Runtime Impact: With these extensive modifications, the film’s length was reduced by approximately two minutes.

Production Team’s Response

Producer Antony Perumbavoor stated that the decision to implement further edits was made to maintain harmony and ensure that the film remained accessible to a broad audience. He emphasized that the filmmakers were not forced to make these cuts but did so as a responsible step.

Despite these changes, Empuraan continues to be a major box-office draw, proving that creative compromises do not necessarily diminish a film’s impact.