Amid mounting tension on the L2: Empuraan team over allegations of promoting an anti-right-wing stance, the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) publicly stated its support for the film and its makers, encouraging creative criticism for the film and not personal threats. Unsolicited attacks were being hurled at director-actor Prithviraj Sukumaran, lead star Mohanlal, and Murali Gopy, who penned the script.
In a Facebook post, the federation condemned the backlash, stating, "We welcome criticism of the film's form and content without any compromises. Only through constructive criticism can an art form truly evolve. However, we firmly believe that criticism should not descend into personal attacks, threats, or branding, regardless of political or religious affiliations. The aim of any meaningful debate is not to silence those standing on the other side, but to let them speak."
The organisation further quoted Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea, "A man can be destroyed but not defeated," emphasising that this is the ideology that art and art communities are trying to express to the world.
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Upon its release on March 27, L2 Empuraan faced severe criticism from RSS’ Sangh Parivar activists, who accused the film of promoting anti-Hindu ideology, referencing the 2002 post-Godhra riots depicted in the movie.
In response, Mohanlal apologised for the “mental pain” caused, clarifying the film did not intend to harbour any hostility towards a particular political group. Meanwhile, producer Gokulam Gopalan confirmed to Manorama Online that around 17 cuts were being made to the film.
