‘Felt like walking out of theatre; Why did CM take grandson to watch Empuraan?’, asks Sreelekha

Former Kerala DGP R. Sreelekha has sharply criticised the film Empuraan, describing it as sending a harmful message to society. She expressed her concerns about the portrayal of violence and criminal activities in the movie, emphasising that it is inappropriate for children to watch such content.

In a video shared on her YouTube channel, Sreelekha pointed out the movie is showing excessive violence and brutal scenes, such as killings, bomb blasts, and graphic depictions of violence. She stressed that films like Empuraan should not glorify violence and criminal behaviour as heroic or admirable, as it could influence impressionable minds, especially children, in a negative way.

"I watched Empuraan. I believed it was better to avoid it. But while watching, I wondered many times if I should just walk out in the middle. When the movie Marco was released, people mainly criticised it for its violence. However, this movie also has similar levels of violence throughout, yet I haven't heard anyone seriously speak out about it," she said.

"The film has a lot of flaws with an excessive amount of violence, making it a movie that should not be allowed for children to watch.

I can't understand why the Chief Minister took his young grandson, who is under 16, to watch a movie rated U/A 16+. The poor child must have been deeply disturbed by all these graphic scenes...," she added.

Sreelekha further criticised the portrayal of political themes, especially the film’s underlying message that the rise of the BJP would bring destruction to Kerala, and only a mafia leader can save the state.

"I watched Empuraan a couple of days after its release before the cut version was made available. When it comes to violence, this movie is full of extreme scenes—people being hacked, burned alive, others being blown to pieces by bombs, a scene where a pregnant woman is raped, children being beaten and tortured, and various other intense and disturbing sequences. It's a film with a very high level of violence," she said.

She also alleged that the movie attempts to manipulate public perception in Kerala. "The film seems to be intentionally trying to mislead or confuse the political beliefs of its audience, particularly those regarding Kerala’s politics. The film presents many situations, dialogues, and contexts that suggest the BJP or saffron forces should not enter Kerala. The narrative implies that if they do, Kerala will be destroyed," she opined.

Drawing attention to the role of Malayalam cinema's heroes, including Mohanlal, Sreelekha expressed disappointment with the trend of depicting lead characters as mafia dons or ruthless criminals, especially when they are portrayed as heroes.

"It feels deeply troubling when prominent figures like Mohanlal and Prithviraj, who are loved by many, take on roles like these. It's not just the scriptwriting that's problematic; when everything is put together, it results in a deeply troubling film. Communalism is something we've almost forgotten, like the Godhra riots, which happened years ago but were left behind. To bring that up again and stoke the flames of that tragedy feels like an attempt to fill our minds with communal hatred...," she stated.

The former police officer also raised concerns about the film's narrative, suggesting that it propagates misleading political ideologies, particularly by implying that Kerala should resist political forces like the BJP, leading to a dangerous and divisive message.

"The film felt like a major blow to the BJP workers and those who support the BJP ideology. Every narrative context, the dialogues, and the conversations within the film all seem to convey the message that the BJP is not needed here. The film suggests that only someone like Khureshi Ab'raam, who is portrayed as the leader of the biggest mafia, has the power to save Kerala," she said.