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L2: Empuraan has claimed to have something very impressive. The film has become the first Malayalam movie to gross over INR 300 crore, a significant milestone for an industry whose theatrical reach beyond Kerala is relatively limited compared to Bollywood, Telugu, or even Tamil cinema. ‘L2: Empuraan’ Movie Review: Mohanlal’s Swagger Keeps Saving Prithviraj Sukumaran’s Grand but Exhaustingly Over-Stuffed ‘Lucifer’ Sequel.

By now, L2: Empuraan has already smashed several records: it’s the most expensive Malayalam film ever made, with a reported budget of INR 180 crore; it’s the fastest to reach the INR 100 and INR 200 crore marks; and it’s officially the highest-grossing Malayalam film of all time. Directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran, the movie stars Mohanlal in the lead and is the sequel to the 2019 blockbuster, Lucifer. Empuraan also has Manju Warrier, Tovino Thomas and Abhimanyu Singh in its vast ensemble.

However, there’s a caveat that many seem to overlook. According to the figures released by the producers, L2: Empuraan has grossed INR 325 crore. But there’s a small disclaimer that often gets missed – the total is inclusive of “theatrical and business” revenue. In other words, the entire INR 325 crore doesn’t stem from theatrical earnings alone; the figure also includes income from satellite, OTT, and music rights.

Theatrical Gross Collections of ‘L2: Empuraan’

According to industry tracker Sacnilk, L2: Empuraan has grossed INR 266.16 crore worldwide. Interestingly, the film has performed exceptionally well in overseas markets, grossing INR 142.25 crore.

‘L2: Empuraan’ INR 325 Crore Success Poster

In India, its gross theatrical earnings stand at INR 123.91 crore.

Other Revenue Streams

If we accept Sacnilk’s numbers as the film’s actual theatrical revenue, that leaves approximately INR 58 crore generated through ancillary sources — primarily satellite, OTT, and music rights. The bulk of this came from satellite and OTT deals.

While production houses usually refrain from revealing exact figures for such transactions, figures have been circulating on social media. Reportedly, the digital and satellite rights (excluding Hindi language rights) were sold for INR 35 crore. The film is set to begin streaming on JioHotstar from April 24 – less than a month after its theatrical release – which is relatively quick for a film labelled a blockbuster. ‘L2: Empuraan’ OTT Release Date: When and Where To Watch Mohanlal-Prithviraj Sukumaran’s Malayalam Blockbuster Online!

This sale makes L2: Empuraan the third-highest Malayalam film in terms of non-theatrical revenue, following Marakkar (INR 46 crore) and King of Kotha (INR 41 crore).

Interestingly, all three of these films shared a similar trajectory – high pre-release hype, followed by mixed reviews and audience reception. That said, L2: Empuraan appears to have fared better, both critically and commercially, in comparison.

So, Is ‘L2: Empuraan’ a Success?

That’s a complex question. On paper, the film has shattered multiple records and comfortably holds the title of the highest-grossing Malayalam film of all time – overtaking last year’s Manjummel Boys. Yet, considering its colossal budget of INR 180 crore (as revealed by one of its own producers), the theatrical performance may not have been as profitable as it seems.

To be deemed a “safe hit” in theatrical terms, a film with that level of expenditure would need to gross well over INR 300 crore, factoring in distributor cuts and the producer’s share. In comparison, Manjummel Boys managed to earn over 12 times its reported budget through theatrical revenue alone.

However, if we take the producers at their word and accept the total business figure of INR 325 crore, then L2: Empuraan can be considered a safe bet financially. Still, the real test lies ahead: will this be enough to justify a third instalment in the franchise? If the next film follows the blockbuster sequel rulebook, the budget will likely escalate – especially since the villain has been teased to hail from China. Whether the franchise can sustain that scale remains to be seen.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 21, 2025 12:12 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).



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