Indian superstar Mohanlal has . When the actor’s recent movie, L2: Empuraan, released in India on March 27, little did he realise the opposition he’d face because of the movie's political and social narratives.

He has since apologised; on Sunday, he issued a statement on Facebook. The long Malayalam post reads: “I have come to know that some political and social themes that were included in the unveiling of Empuran, the second part of the Lucifer franchise, have caused considerable distress among many of my loved ones.

As an artist, it is my duty to ensure that none of my films promote hatred towards any political movement, ideology, or religious group. Therefore, both I and the Empuran team express our sincere regret for the distress caused to my dear ones, and we all take responsibility for it, with the realization that such issues must be removed from the film.”

.

He also had a message for his fans. "For the past four decades, it is you, the audience, who have been a part of my cinematic journey. Your love and trust are my strength. I believe there is no Mohanlal beyond that."

While politicians and activists call for a boycott, the movie has still done quite well for itself at the box office, becoming the first Malayalam movie to gross Rs8 billion worldwide during its opening weekend.

So what’s the movie about?

is the sequel to the 2019 Malayalam political thriller called Lucifer. In the film, Mohanlal Stephen Nedumpally, an enigmatic figure who is actually the boss of a crime syndicate. In this film, Nedumpally returns as what’s supposed to be a leader who will save the Common Man from corrupt people in power.

Who has worked on the film?

Directed by Malayalam star Prithviraj, who also helmed Lucifer.

What went wrong?

It began…well, at the beginning. The new movie zones in on the backstory of Zayed Masood (played by Prithviraj), who suffered as a result of communal riots as a kid. (Critics draw quick parallels between the narrative and 2002 riots that roiled India back when Indian PM Narendra Modi was chief minister of Gujarat. )

The picturisation of violence is graphic and targets one section of the community. It then speaks of how the perpetrators of the incident go on to become integral to Kerala’s political landscape.

 Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the state president of the BJP, who had wished the film's team well before its release, later was quoted as saying by BBC: "[There were] topics in the movie that disturbed Mohanlal fans and other viewers".

"A movie should be watched as a movie. It can't be seen as history. Also, any movie that tries to build a story by distorting the truth is doomed to fail.”

The Organiser Weekly - a magazine published by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has called the film a "disturbing, divisive tale disguised as cinema".

"Empuraan isn't just a bad film; it's an attack on faith, on political plurality and on the very soul of balanced storytelling," its review said.

However, there are some factions speaking up for the movie.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was quoted as saying by BBC that the "communal hate campaign against Empuraan and its creators is deeply disturbing. Undermining creative freedom through fear and threats strikes at the very core of democracy," he added.

"Cinema is the work of a group of artists. Changing the content of a work of art by threatening, insulting and humiliating through social media is not a victory," added Congress leader VD Satheesan.

What’s happening with it now?

Even as people agitate, the production team is taking steps to make the narrative more palatable to audiences. It has announced that the movie will undergo revisions in response to the controversy. According to reports, 17 scenes, including those featuring riot sequences and depictions of violence against women, will be edited out.