Prithviraj promises a new side to Zayed Masood in ‘Empuraan’

Director and actor Prithviraj Sukumaran, who portrays Zayed Masood, the mercenary commando leading the Kureshi-Ab’ram nexus in the Lucifer franchise, has revealed that the second part, Empuraan, will explore a different side of his character.

On Wednesday, Malayalam superstar Mohanlal introduced Prithviraj’s character in the upcoming political action drama L2: Empuraan (L2E). Mohanlal shared a post on his X timeline, stating, “Character No 2. Prithviraj Sukumaran as Zayed Masood in #L2E #EMPURAAN,” and included a link to a video where Prithviraj discusses his character and the film itself.

Prithviraj explained, “In the first film, Lucifer, we were introduced to the infamous Kureshi-Abr’am nexus controlling the global gold and diamond trade. Zayed Masood, a mercenary commando, led their hit force. That was the only side of Zayed you saw in the first part.”

He continued, “Zayed Masood, like every other character in this franchise written by Murali Gopy, has a backstory. He has his own world, his own history. What was that world like? How did Khureshi-Ab’ram enter his life? These are questions that will be explored in Empuraan."

Prithviraj also reflected on how Lucifer presented a complex world, and in Empuraan, that complexity will deepen further. "The number of characters increases, and you’ll see more settings and landscapes where the story unfolds. However, we believe the film will maintain a coherent narrative, and we hope the audience feels the same when they watch it,” he shared.

He also hinted at the developments after the first Lucifer film, where the Khureshi-Ab’ram underworld syndicate appeared invincible. “When Lucifer ended, we were left with the feeling that there was no force strong enough to take on the Khureshi-Ab’ram syndicate. But was that really true? Or was it a false assumption?" Prithviraj teased.

Directed by Prithviraj, L2: Empuraan is produced by Antony Perumbavoor and Subaskaran, with a story penned by Murali Gopy. The film features music by Deepak Dev, cinematography by Sujith Vaassudev, and editing by Akhilesh Mohan.

The sequel to Lucifer, which released in 2019 and became a massive hit, is expected to hit theatres on March 27, 2025. With expectations running high, Empuraan is set to continue the thrilling saga, promising more action, intrigue, and character depth.