During the teaser launch of much-awaited directorial venture L2: Empuraan, celebrated Malayalam actor and director Prithviraj Sukumaran revealed a very interesting experience from his earlier days as a director. According to him, he was given the opportunity of directing Tamil megastar Rajinikanth, but did not work with the project as it came at a time when he had not been able to confirm a script and thus the deal remained on paper.
Speaking on the occasion, Prithviraj remembered how A. Subaskaran, the producer of Lyca Productions, had approached him for a possible project with Rajinikanth. “Subaskaran sir first approached me with the opportunity to direct a film for Lyca Productions, starring Rajinikanth sir. It was a fantastic offer for a new director like me, and I tried my best to come up with something,” Prithviraj shared.
However, the pressure to meet a specific timeline for the project led Prithviraj to not be able to present a script that would work for both him and the producer. “Subaskaran sir wanted the project to happen within a particular timeline, and being a part-time director, I couldn’t come up with a subject for the producer. So, that project didn’t happen,” Prithviraj explained.
A New Beginning: L2: Empuraan
Although the Rajinikanth project didn’t materialize, the camaraderie that emerged has stood the test of time for Prithviraj and Subaskaran. The next topic Prithviraj broached in their discussion was his upcoming biggie: L2: Empuraan, which happens to be a sequel to his directorial 2019 venture, Lucifer. “Subaskaran sir asked me what I was working on next. I told him about L2: Empuraan, which has been a dream of mine since the release of Lucifer,” says Prithviraj.
He added, “I shared a rough outlinePrithviraj Sukumaran Reveals of the film, and Subaskaran sir asked, ‘How can I be part of this dream of yours?’ I was taken aback by his generosity, and I am truly grateful to him.”
Teaser Launch and Star-studded Event
L2: Empuraan teaser launch was a big affair with a host of personalities from the Malayalam film fraternity in attendance. Mammootty, Manju Warrier, Tovino Thomas, and actor-director Basil Joseph are some of the names. It stars Mohanlal in the lead and will release on March 27, 2025, one of the most awaited films in the Malayalam cinematic space.
It is one of the most highly anticipated films in the year – L2: Empuraan. However, the road to it, from missing on directing Rajinikanth, to a Lucifer sequel, bears testimony to growth as a filmmaker. The film’s fans would now eagerly be waiting to watch the Lucifer continuation and how it pans out on the celluloid.
