Prithviraj Sukumaran addressed the Empuraan controversy, clarifying that he made the film to entertain, not express political views. The film had garnered scrutiny over its alleged portrayal of the 2002 Gujarat riots

Though delayed, the presentation of this honour could not have come at a more poetic moment in Prithviraj`s career. Having just helmed L2: Empuraan, one of Malayalam cinema’s highest grossing, biggest blockbusters, and played a pivotal role in elevating the industry’s stature on the world stage,