'Mohanlal hasn't said Prithviraj cheated him'; Mallika Sukumaran says her son is being made scapegoat

Actress Prithviraj's mother and actress Mallika Sukumaran have reacted to the controversy surrounding the film Empuraan. Mallika's response is against the statement that Prithviraj cheated Mohanlal and the producers, including Antony Perumbavoor, by taking up Empuraan. She also wrote on her Facebook page that she knows what happened behind the scenes of this film and is extremely hurt by the fact that some people are trying to isolate and attack Prithviraj.

Translated FB post:

"I have been paying attention to the controversy surrounding the film 'Empuran' for the past few days. Apart from the fact that my son Prithviraj is the director of this film, I have no connection with the film. That is why I was of the opinion that I should not respond to the controversies. But some people have deliberately spread the idea that Prithviraj cheated Mohanlal and the producers, including Antony Perumbavoor, by taking up Empuraan, and some media outlets have now taken it up. Knowing what happened behind the scenes of this film, I am extremely pained that some people are trying to isolate Prithviraj and attack him.

This is the pain of a mother. No one should make fun of me for speaking out. Neither Mohanlal nor the producers have said that Prithviraj cheated them. I don't think they will ever say that again. Mohanlal is my younger brother. I have known Lal since childhood. Mohanlal has praised my son on many forums. But I am extremely saddened that some people are trying to make my son a scapegoat without the knowledge of Lal or the producers. As a director, Prithviraj has not cheated anyone associated with this film. Not just this film; he hadn't done something like that for any film.

If you feel that there is a problem with the film Empuraan, everyone in this group is responsible for it. They all read the script together. They all saw the scenes being shot together, and everyone said okay. If scenes need to be corrected during the shooting stage, writer Murali Gopi is always willing to do so.....then when everything is done and the film is released, how can Prithviraj alone be responsible for it?

One month ago, when I called my son, he was shooting in Gujarat..he said, "I am busy, mom... Lalettan has come. Every scene shot so far should be shown to Lalettan. We should discuss it with Antony." I want to make it clear that there is not a single shot in the film Empuraan that neither of them is aware of. There is nothing in this film that Mohanlal does not know about. Neither of them say that they did not know anything.

Then I do not understand why some people who claim to be with them are spreading misunderstandings. They probably think that they can make some profit by pleasing Mohanlal and Antony. They are making some profit by doing so. They are spreading false propaganda that many things were added to the script without Mohanlal's knowledge and that Mohanlal remained unaware of them as he did not watch the preview."

Read the full Facebook post: