EMPURAAN - an honest review you may not like - By Dr. Mathew Joys

By: 600008 On: Apr 7, 2025, 7:47 AM

 

When a large number of people write about a book or movie that is considered to be an outstanding achievement and a unique contribution, if someone honestly evaluates it and points out its flaws, the writer will undoubtedly be labeled a pessimist or a narcissist and tortured by nasty words from their fans. Still, we need to see a true evaluation of the mega-production “Empuran.”

Similarly, a film does not become a good film with the use of camera and modern technology, jarring dialogue that is not digestible quickly, and background music that makes you dizzy. But Empuraan is just a waste of all these.

As Mahatmaji said, “The Customer is the king on our business premises. Without customers, we have no business. Treat them with respect.” We, the audience, make movies great, and actors are ‘celebrities’.
 
Those in the film industry have a great obligation and responsibility to the audience. The arrogance of saying, "We'll make the film however we feel like it, you just have to watch it if you want" is not good.
 
It is only that several ingredients like Godhra riots, arms smuggling, drug mafia, Maoists, Nedumpally Dam, God, devil, Iraq, Yemen, communalism, gunfire, and bombs have been thrown into Empuraan. 

The most unbearable thing is the background music. If you want to know how much music, which should be like the heartbeat of a film, can torture a person, you should watch Empuraan. It should not be called music; even the word war trumpet is not enough. When you hear this thunder, you will be afraid that our heads and ears and even the theater's roof will be blown away. The background music in this film gives the feeling of being on a Trichu Pooram's firework field or a war front.

Director Prithviraj may not know the charm of silence and the music of silence. Yet, there are two or three scenes without noise. Only when Manju Warrier's PriyaDarshini is giving a speech.
 
I was surprised as I saw Abram Qureshi (Mohanlal) and Syed Masood (Prithviraj) slashing fifty to a hundred people running towards me with two-foot-long, two-kilo swords and machetes, and for a while they were lost in the darkness of the theater.

Looking back at the screen, I saw Lal and Raj throwing a sword back and forth, catching each one like throwing a ball. Just as one of them got the sword in his hand, the next giant came forward to cut him down. What a Fierce Adjustment, fooling the audience!

Mohanlal, who has etched hundreds of characters in the minds of Malayalis for the past forty-five years, is just a robot in Empuraan. He doesn't have a scene to act in. Not a single muscle in his face moves. Just a few muscle twitches, stares, and slow-motion techniques.

Yes there is an attempt to foster hatred towards Christian ideologies. I don't think Murali Gopi, who wrote the story, screenplay, and dialogues, has any hatred towards Christians. However, the impact of the dialogues he wrote has reached a level he could not have imagined. 'There is one who does wrong between the father and the son. That is me, Lucifer, Empuran.'

'When the son of God sins, God sends a black angel. That is me, Lucifer. Empuran' and other stupid dialogues like this, several Christian misinformers have come forward and called them anti-Christian. The mysterious cunning of its followers, who are leading people towards Satanic worship, is immense. What is the ulterior motive behind twisting and misrepresenting Bible verses?

After all, the real hype is earned by Manju Wariar, for her some emotional dialogues.

It is true that the Lalism is so powerful that his fans in other states have pushed it to a mega hit, in spite of the 24 cuts and exorbitant expenses to release the recensited version of the movie in thousands of theatres so fast.

 

This movie uses a clever marketing tactic to fool viewers, especially those who don't know history, by showing only one side of the story, or by mixing all events in the dark corners of the world.

Generations are growing up, and may each of us be able to create a society of love, brotherhood, and mutual respect for them- that should be the lesson from great movies! If not, commercialism kills our own culture and values.