Malayalam superstar Mohanlal’s latest release L2: Empuraan has made box office history in the UAE, becoming the first South Indian film to cross the 500,000 ticket mark in the region.

The political action thriller, directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran, has seen an overwhelming response from the Indian expatriate community, setting a new benchmark for Malayalam cinema overseas. In just 12 days, the film surpassed the half-million admissions milestone, an achievement previously accomplished only by the blockbuster Prabhas starrer Baahubali 2.

L2: Empuraan is now being hailed as the new industry hit for Malayalam cinema, outperforming the lifetime global collection of the recent sleeper success Manjummel Boys. 

The film’s success extends beyond the Gulf, with strong box office performance in international markets. In the UK, it has entered the top three highest-grossing South Indian films of all time, overtaking titles such as Leo and Kalki 2898 AD.

A sequel to the 2019 hit Lucifer, L2: Empuraan continues the story of Stephen Nedumpally — a role reprised by Mohanlal — who leads a secret life as Khureshi Ab’raam, the elusive head of a powerful international crime syndicate. The film follows his return to Kerala’s volatile political arena, where he faces mounting threats and forms precarious alliances to secure his position.

With packed theatres and glowing word-of-mouth, the film’s momentum shows no signs of slowing down.

The star-studded cast also includes Prithviraj Sukumaran, Tovino Thomas, Indrajith Sukumaran, Manju Warrier, and Abhimanyu Singh. The screenplay is written by Murali Gopy.

L2: Empuraan is now screening in cinemas across the UAE.