Power Play on a Global Scale

L2: Empuraan | Director: Prithviraj Sukumaran | Cast: Mohanlal, Prithviraj Sukumaran, Tovino Thomas

Think of L2: Empuraan as two movies. One is about the political turmoil in Kerala with the death of party veteran PK Ramdas, and the question of who should inherit the mantle, his daughter Priya (a stately Manju Warrier) or his son Jathin (a fine Tovino Thomas). The second is about international goings-on, ranging from Iraq to Africa, and the involvement of Stephen Nedumpally aka Khureshi Abr’aam played by Mohanlal. When they meet, in a classic confronta­tion between Jathin and Stephen, there are fireworks. Jathin is the ultimate political opportunist who has aligned with the right-wing political faction led by Baba Bajrangi (Abhimanyu Singh). Stephen saved Zayed, orphaned by the Gujarat riots, from being radicalised by Islamic fundamentalists. It is the clash of two ideas, neither of them morally clear. The problem is it happens too late in the movie. There is a clear political message in director Prithviraj’s L2: Empuraan and it is aligned with the diversity of thought and faith. Empuraan is a loud affirmation of a more ambitious film­making, with stunning visuals and brilliant clashes. It is well made enough to make one wait for the third part of the trilogy.

film reviewL2: EmpuraanMohanlalPrithviraj Sukumaran