L2: Empuraan, the highly anticipated sequel to Lucifer, directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran and starring Malayalam superstar Mohanlal, has made headlines with its stunning performance at the worldwide box office. The film created history for the Malayalam film industry, setting new global benchmarks. However, despite its strong international success, L2: Empuraan could not fully recover its massive budget from the Indian market alone.
Let’s break down the film’s performance in detail.
A Grand Opening in India, But Falling Short
L2: Empuraan had a powerful start in India, crossing the ₹100 crore gross mark in its very first week. It ran in theatres for 35 days and collected ₹106.64 crore net in the Indian market. After adding taxes, the total India gross came up to ₹125.83 crore.
While these numbers are impressive, they weren’t enough to cover the film’s massive budget of ₹180 crore. In India, the film managed to recover only around 59% of its budget. So despite being the highest-grossing Malayalam film of 2025 in India, it couldn’t turn a profit domestically.
It also became the second-highest-grossing Malayalam film of all time, falling just short of the all-time blockbuster Manjummel Boys, which grossed ₹142 crore in India.
Record-Breaking Success Overseas
What saved L2: Empuraan and turned it into a global hit was its phenomenal performance in overseas markets. The film grossed a whopping ₹142.25 crore internationally, making it the biggest overseas Malayalam hit of 2025. It even beat the Hindi historical drama Chhaava (₹100.90 crore overseas) and the Malayalam hit Manjummel Boys (₹74 crore overseas).
This overseas dominance played a key role in pushing the film toward a successful global run.
Worldwide Box Office Collections – A New Benchmark
In just 35 days, L2: Empuraan earned a massive ₹268.08 crore gross worldwide, becoming one of the biggest Malayalam films ever in terms of global box office. It also became the first Malayalam movie to earn a ₹100 crore share globally, a remarkable milestone in Mollywood history.
Here’s a detailed breakdown of the film’s 35-day worldwide box office collection:
- India Net Collection: ₹106.64 crore
- India Gross Collection: ₹125.83 crore
- Overseas Gross Collection: ₹142.25 crore
- Worldwide Gross Total: ₹268.08 crore
Final Verdict
L2: Empuraan may not have achieved full success at the Indian box office due to its high budget, but globally, it emerged as a massive blockbuster. Thanks to the overseas market, the film met its breakeven target and even went beyond, establishing new records for Malayalam cinema.
With this success, Mohanlal and Prithviraj have once again proved their star power and raised the bar for future Malayalam films. Empuraan is not just a sequel—it’s a statement of how regional cinema is going global with the right mix of action, storytelling, and star power.
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