The film, directed by Prithviraj and written by Murali Gopy, had previously drawn criticism upon its release.

The RSS-affiliated publication Organiser had published articles opposing the film, prompting the filmmakers to edit and resubmit certain scenes for censorship review.

Following Tuesday’s events, Prithviraj also faced renewed backlash, with users posting critical comments on his earlier social media posts.

Critics challenged whether future sequels of Empuraan would depict the Pahalgam attack. Some of the harshest online comments were directed at Mohanlal, with users suggesting that his reputation, built over a 45-year career, had been harmed by his collaboration with Prithviraj.

One comment read: “The time when Malayalis trusted you is over. What you built over decades was undone by one film.”

Despite the backlash, several users expressed concern over the intensity of the criticism. “Maybe it is because he was loved so much; people feel let down,” one user noted. Others pointed out that the level of hate directed at Mohanlal was disproportionate compared to others involved in the film.