Sreerag Nair

When the makers unveiled an ensemble of 36 characters ahead of Empuraan’s release, it was hard not to feel a twinge of concern. Could any script realistically carry that much weight without buckling under its own ambition? As it turns out, the answer leans toward no. In trying to carve space for everyone, the film spreads itself too thin—its core narrative, once promising, gradually begins to unravel. The first half holds a flicker of hope. There are sparks—setups that tease something grander, deeper. But the second act doesn’t build on that foundation. Where Lucifer thrived with its sharp pacing and purposeful storytelling, Empuraan stumbles. The attempt to straddle two narrative worlds—those of Stephen Nedumpilly and Khureshi Ab’raam—feels uneven. Instead of seamless transitions, we are given jarring shifts, leaving both arcs feeling undercooked. The cast is nothing short of a powerhouse. The screen brims with talent. But strangely, much of it goes untapped. Even Mohanlal, the magnetic force at the centre of this universe, does not get the gravitas or screen presence the character deserves—at least not until much later. And by then, it almost feels like too little, too late. One can’t help but wonder: if the Khureshi Ab’raam thread had been trimmed, could we have had more of Lalettan in the way fans truly wanted? Still, there are moments that land. There is a cinematic pulse that occasionally surges through the film, a sense of scale and urgency that feels almost tactile. The kind of moments where the screen blurs into something larger than life, drawing you in despite the chaos around it. The visual language is striking: slow-burning scenes laced with tension, swelling background scores, and grand, deliberate compositions. These flourishes don’t always save the story, but they do offer temporary immersion.... like stepping into a dream that is only half remembered. Beneath the surface, the film carries a subtle ideological undercurrent—never loud, but definitely present. There’s a silent tug-of-war in its themes, offering depth in some instances while occasionally diverting the story from its emotional core. The intentions are thoughtful, but the execution is not always cohesive. In the end, Empuraan had all the right ingredients—stellar actors, layered characters, and a plot brimming with political intrigue. But in its quest to be bigger, bolder, and broader, it loses the clarity and precision that made its predecessor soar. The spark is undeniably there. It just never quite sets the screen ablaze.