L2: Empuraan

L2: Empuraan (transl. Overlord; stylised as L2: E.M.P.U.R.A.A.N - Lucifer 2; marketed as L2E) is a 2025 Indian Malayalam-language political gangster action thriller film directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran, written by Murali Gopy and jointly produced by Antony Perumbavoor, Subaskaran Allirajah and Gokulam Gopalan through Aashirvad Cinemas, Lyca Productionsand Sree Gokulam Movies. It is the sequel to the Lucifer (2019) and also the second installment in the Lucifer Universe, starring Mohanlal in the lead role, along with an ensemble cast including Prithviraj Sukumaran, Indrajith Sukumaran, Abhimanyu Singh, Tovino Thomas, Manju Warrier, Jerome Flynn, Andrea Tivadar, Eriq Ebouaney and Kishore while Rick Yune and Pranav Mohanlal made cameo appearances. The film follows an international criminal Khureshi-Ab'raam, who seeks to return to Kerala after the state is threatened by a right-wing extremist Balraj Patel, alias Baba Bajrangi, while also extending his influence in the global geopolitics.

Lucifer was conceived as a three-part film series from the outset. The first film's success led to the decision to proceed with the second in the series. It was announced in June 2019, and production, originally planned for mid-2020, faced delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Murali took the opportunity to expand the scale and scope of the film. The screenplay was finalised in July 2022, and pre-production began the next month. Lyca joined in September 2023, and in March 2025, Gopalan joined as a co-producer, following financial disputes with Lyca. Deepak Dev composed the original soundtrack and the background score.

Principal photography took place from October 2023 to December 2024, spanning 145 days across sporadic schedules in India, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the United Arab Emirates. Made on a ₹150–175 crore budget, L2: Empuraan was released in theatres on 27 March 2025 in standard, IMAX, EPIQ formats and being the first Malayalam movie to release on IMAX. It is the most expensive Malayalam film to date. Upon release, it received mixed reviews from critics, with praise for the technical aspects, cast performances, depth of script, songs, direction, and production style. However, its comparatively average screenplay, background score and climax scene received a polarized response. However, L2: Empuraan was the first Malayalam film to cross ₹250 crore (grossed over ₹268.05–325 crore) and was highest-grossing Malayalam film of all time, before being overtaken by Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra. It is currently the second highest-grossing Malayalam film of all time and was the tenth highest-grossing Indian film of 2025.

Plot

In 2002, communal riots broke out in Gujarat between Hindu and Muslim extremists after the Godhra train burning, forcing a young Zayed Masood and his family to flee. They seek refuge with Subhadra Ben, a kind lady and the head of a large royal family. She consoles them, telling them that politics is actually a business in the country and that everything will be alright soon. She entrusts their safety to her nephew, Munna. However, Munna, harbouring a deep hatred towards Muslims, informs his elder brother, Balraj Patel, who is a Hindu extremist leader. Balraj leads a mob that massacres Zayed's family, including his father, Masood, and his mother, Bahija Begum. Zayed's elder sister, Haniya, was brutally raped and killed by Munna. Subhadra Ben is also killed by Balraj for "betraying" her community. Devastated, Zayed takes his younger brother Zaheer and flees, only to later discover him dead. Zayed suddenly screamed after losing his family.

In the present, six years into his tenure as the Chief Minister of Kerala, Jathin Ramdas, who became extremely selfish, dishonest, and corrupt to the core, finds himself under investigation by several intelligence agencies for corruption and involvement in money-laundering scams. Priyadarshini, Jathin's elder sister, is worried about his behavioural change as a politician and a son in a short span, and gets into an argument where Jathin himself reveals a truth to the state. The future of his political party, Indian Union Front (IUF), is in turmoil, as a new right-wing opposition party, Akhanda Shakthi Morcha (ASM), gains prominence in Kerala. Unexpectedly, Jathin announces his resignation from the IUF to form a new faction, IUF (PKR), which is allied with the ASM, whose leader is Balraj, now operating under the alias Baba Bajrangi. Balraj plans to amass his wealth and create support for his party under the guise of public service, through exploiting Kerala's political landscape by creating communalism in Kerala. Meanwhile, Govardhan has been investigating Stephen Nedumpally, P. K. Ramdas' adopted son, who disappeared from politics after Jathin took office.

In the UK, MI6 chief Boris Oliver has been pursuing the infamous International secret society Khureshi Ab'raam nexus. On the other hand, Interpol officer Robert McCarthy covertly conspires with Kabuga, an African crime lord, and Sergei Leonov, a former associate of Khureshi, to traffic drugs from Senegal to Guinea. A brutal nexus war erupted along the Senegal–Guinea-Bissau border, engineered by Khureshi Abra’am to avoid the region’s drug-trafficking corridors. Simultaneously, Khureshi, who opposes drug trafficking, intercepts the operation and eliminates Robert and Leonov. He arranges a meeting with Kabuga at Qaraqosh. Boris assigns his colleague, MI6 agent Michele Menuhin, Robert's girlfriend, to track Khureshi Ab'raam, who has personal vengeance on him for killing Robert. Unbeknownst to her, Boris has been secretly affiliated with Khureshi Ab'raam Nexus and leaks the information to him.

In India, Govardhan's search leads him to Daniel Rawther, a friend of Stephen, who drugs and transports him to New York City. There, he discovers that Stephen has been living under his alternate identity, Khureshi Ab'raam. Stephen assures Govardhan of his return to India, before leaving for Iraq to eliminate Kabuga's syndicate with the help of his deputy Zayed Masood. To deceive his enemies, he fakes his death with the help of Govardhan, Boris, and the NPTV channel, plunging Kerala's political landscape into uncertainty. It is also revealed that Stephen had done the agencies a favour as Robert was a double agent working for the Kabuga cartel also.

Priya protests against the construction of a controversial check dam in Nedumpally. During a protest, she is attacked by assailants arranged by Balraj, but manages to escape into a forest, where she is rescued by Stephen, who has since returned to India. He convinces her to step forward as the IUF's new Chief Ministerial candidate. Priya agrees and assumes the post of the party leader, thereby making her entry into active politics. The next day, a large meeting was held at the party's head office, PKR Bhavan. As Priya was addressing the gathering and the other leaders, the Central Investigation Agencies, upon the orders of the Union Home Minister arrive to arrest Priya upon a non-bailable arrest warrant based on money laundering charges. As Priya cooperates and is arrested, it leads to a large public support for her from all sides. On the other hand, Jathin meets with Munna and proceeds to meet Balraj, but is kidnapped and held hostage by Khureshi's mercenaries until Priya is cleared of false money laundering charges – charges that were linked to Jathin's past crimes as the IUF party leader. In a flashback, it is revealed that Zayed fell into the hands of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, an extremist group that radicalises children for promoting terrorism-based activities. En route to Pakistan, he was saved by Khureshi, who took him under his wing and promised to help him seek revenge. Upon Priya's release, Stephen and Zayed orchestrate a showdown against Balraj and Munna at the site where Zayed's family was massacred, ultimately killing them and fulfilling Zayed's long-awaited revenge.

With Balraj and Munna dead, Priyadarshini launches her political campaign. Meanwhile, Khureshi Ab'raam gives Jathin an ultimatum: to support Priya's rise to power or face death; Jathin reluctantly agrees to support Priya. At the same time, Khureshi Ab'raam receives a call from Shenlong Shen, the powerful leader of world famous Afro-Asian crime syndicate called Shen Triad, which was aligned with Kabuga, who captures and kills Boris in revenge for killing Kabuga. As Khureshi Ab'raam is still talking to Shenlong Shen, Jathin boards a helicopter to be taken back; however, a bomb that was set in the helicopter explodes, killing him instantly. In the post-credits scene, the leader of the Shen Triad states his intention to investigate how Stephen became Khureshi-Ab’raam, delving into his past. The following scene then introduces a young Stephen (played by Pranav Mohanlal) in 1981 Bombay, hinting at an in-depth exploration of his origins as a crime lord.