Mohanlal’s Empuraan hit the screens yesterday amidst massive fanfare. Calling Empuraan the most awaited and hyped Malayalam film won’t be an overstatement. The film broke all records in Mollywood even before its release with advance bookings. Directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran, Empuraan is a sequel to Mohanlal’s blockbuster Lucifer.
The movie received mixed reviews, with critics opining that the action thriller is high on style and low on substance. A few bashed Prithviraj due to the controversial events shown in the film. However, since the hype is sky-high, Empuraan is off to a flying start at the box office. According to trade reports, this Mohanlal starrer raked in nearly Rs. 65 crores gross worldwide.
This is the biggest-ever opener for a Malayalam movie by a mammoth margin. For comparison, Aadujeevitham, a.k.a The GOAT Life, headlined by Prithviraj Sukumaran, was the previous highest first-weekend grosser in Malayalam cinema. The Goat Life collected Rs. 64.14 Crores gross in its four-day weekend, and Empuraan amassed that figure on the opening day itself.
Empuraan is also the highest opener in Kerala, and the film set the box office on fire in international markets, too. Given the mixed reviews, it will be interesting to see how the biggie performs in the coming days.