5 years of Lucifer: When Prithviraj compromised his artistic integrity and principles for his debut directorial, a fanboy tribute to Mohanlal

Prithviraj Sukumaran’s debut directorial film Lucifer, starring Malayalam superstar Mohanlal in the lead role, turns five today

Malayalam superstar Mohanlal with actor-director Prithviraj Sukumaran on the sets of Lucifer. (Image: Aashirvad Cinemas/Facebook)

March 28 holds great significance in Prithviraj Sukumaran’s career, as it marks the release of his highly anticipated and ambitious film, director Blessy’s survival saga Aadujeevitham (The Goat Life). Initially slated for release on April 10, the date was moved up by two weeks to March 28. This decision, however, wasn’t arbitrary or merely to avoid potential clashes during the Vishu festival. It was on this day, five years ago, that Prithviraj Sukumaran’s debut directorial venture Lucifer, starring Mohanlal, hit the screens.

As Lucifer turns five today, it seems unlikely that the decision to release Aadujeevitham, a film which Prithviraj believes would become a milestone, on the same date was purely coincidental. Whether this choice stems from superstition or not is uncertain. Nevertheless, if all goes well, March 28 could become a landmark in Prithviraj’s acting career, much like it did for him as a director.

Cinema Anatomy | Aadujeevitham: All eyes on Prithviraj as he embarks on a career-defining, no-holds-barred battle with himself

Starring Malayalam’s biggest superstar in the lead role, backed by his own Aashirvad Cinemas and scripted by Murali Gopy, the son of one of the industry’s most legendary actors, Lucifer was destined for success, and it indeed achieved it. Grossing Rs 127.5 crore worldwide, Lucifer emerged as one of Malayalam cinema’s biggest hits, marking an impressive directorial debut for Prithviraj that anyone would envy.

Blending various elements, ranging from Kerala’s regional politics to a fictional global crime syndicate, Lucifer’s narrative had the potential to captivate audiences (mainly fans) as it appeared rich with cross-references, real-life connections, multiple themes and hidden details. This complexity prompted many viewers to perceive the film as exceptionally brilliant. Even today, it is regarded by many as a significant cinematic achievement that skillfully combined commercial elements with artistic sophistication. But, just think about it: is Lucifer truly that great? Or is it merely another example of the ongoing trend of ‘fanboy tribute’ films, thus suggesting that Prithviraj Sukumaran compromised his artistic integrity and principles for commercial gain (something he wasn’t in dire need of) after actively hinting for years that he wouldn’t become such a person?

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Lucifer was not simply a mindless film where Prithviraj merely paid a brainless tribute to Mohanlal by recycling various theatrics from his past hits. (Image: Aashirvad Cinemas/Facebook)

However, unlike movies like Petta, Sivaji: The Boss, Vikram, Theri, Mersal, Bigil, Jawan, Khaidi No 150 and Akhanda et al, Lucifer was not simply a mindless film where the director merely paid a brainless tribute to his favourite star by recycling various theatrics from his past hits, which had endeared them to their fans, including the helmer. Instead, Lucifer prioritised the actor in Mohanlal and used that as the foundation for developing its mass appeal. To be precise, every action and gesture made by Mohanlal, except for the extra emphasis on his slanted shoulder, in Lucifer stemmed from his prowess as an exceptional actor. This was the primary factor that set Lucifer apart from other ‘fanboy tribute’ films. Considering Mohanlal’s finesse in subtle acting, this was effortlessly achieved.

To Prithviraj’s advantage, Lucifer came at a crucial time for Mohanlal, following a tough 2018 where all three films in which he played the lead roles — Neerali, Drama and Odiyan — received poor responses. Specifically, Lucifer was the superstar’s immediate release after the significant debacle of his much-anticipated Odiyan, for which he still receives a considerable amount of trolling. While many concluded, after seeing Odiyan, that Mohanlal had lost his natural charm and ability to emote feelings effortlessly, and his ardent fans were on the lookout for some respite, Lucifer arrived.

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(From left) Lucifer’s producer Antony Perumbavoor, actors Vivek Oberoi and Mohanlal, director Prithviraj Sukumaran and writer Murali Gopy on the film’s set. (Image: Aashirvad Cinemas/Facebook)

Although Mohanlal’s performance wasn’t groundbreaking and, considering the actor’s history, it was a pretty easy job for him, his portrayal of Stephen Nedumpally captivated audiences. Sporting a thick moustache and beard, wearing white attire all the time just like most Indian politicos, Stephen exuded a special aura — an aura rarely visible in the heroes of mass actioners. But this aura was no different from the ones Mohanlal had in Rajavinte Makan, Irupatham Noottandu, Devaasuram, Spadikam, Aaraam Thampuran, Narasimham etc. Just that Murali and Prithviraj removed one key ingredient from the archetype — punch dialogues. By minimising dialogues and presenting him as an omnipotent, omniscient figure, staying true to the film’s title, the writer and director altered the template slightly, which itself made viewers drop jaws.

However, despite being known for advocating industry reform and speaking out against superstar-centric trends and misogyny, in his directorial debut effort, Prithviraj ironically embraced all those elements. The film, centred around a familiar archetype of a man with a dark, unknown past, glorified star worship and featured shallow female characters, despite the presence of talented actors.

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Sporting a thick moustache and beard, wearing white attire all the time just like most Indian politicos, Mohanlal exuded a special aura in Lucifer. (Image: Aashirvad Cinemas/Facebook)

Furthermore, the same Prithviraj, who once (while she was on a hiatus) said that he would unhesitatingly say yes to an opportunity to perform with Manju Warrier, even if it’s only in one shot, reduced her to just a weak supporting character, constantly overshadowed by literally every male character in the movie. No matter how hard Prithviraj or Murali Gopy tried to make all feel that her character was powerful, given that they made her character torch her father’s pyre, against Hindu traditions, it won’t erase the fact that the character received nothing more than initial buildup. Interestingly, the Telugu remake of Lucifer, GodFather  (2022), portrayed Priyadarshini’s counterpart Sathyapriya (Nayanthara) with more substance and identity, showcasing the missed potential in the original. However, this improvement too went down the drain as the makers of GodFather superhumanised Stephen’s counterpart Brahma Teja (Chiranjeevi) significantly.

If not for Murali Gopy’s tendency to layer nearly every line in the script, albeit with slightly less verbosity and pompousness than usual, Lucifer’s narrative flaws would have been more apparent, revealing that it was just old wine in a new bottle.

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Mohanlal and Manju Warrier in Lucifer; (right) Nayanthara its Telugu remake GodFather. (Image: Megastar Chiranjeevi/Facebook)

However, amidst these flaws, one cannot overlook Prithviraj’s adept direction and the film’s impressive visual language. A viewing of GodFather would make one understand the careful attention Prithviraj devoted to staging and choreographing each shot, along with his command over technical aspects like cinematography, editing and music.

Another strength of Lucifer is its completeness despite being planned as the first part of a trilogy (the second instalment in it, Empuraan, is currently under production), a revelation the makers made only after its immense success. Unlike films like Salaar, where the first instalment feels like a mere trailer or the first act of a film with little substance beyond large set pieces and too much bloodshed, Lucifer stands strong on its own merits as it offers a cohesive storyline and viewing experience, credit due to Murali and Prithviraj equally. Despite keeping certain character details concealed until the resolution, such as Stephen’s alternate identity as mafia don Khureshi-Ab’raam, Murali ensured each character had a compelling arc, adding to Lucifer’s charm.

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Lucifer established an exceptionally high standard for fanboy tribute movies, a level that remains unsurpassed even after five years. (Image: Aashirvad Cinemas/Facebook)

Furthermore, while it’s common for Bollywood actors to be cast in substance-less antagonist roles in south films and vice versa — as seen with actors like Sanjay Dutt in KGF 2, Neil Nitin Mukesh in Kaththi, Jackie Shroff in Bigil, Arbaaz Khan in Big Brother, Vijay Sethupathi in Jawan and (likely) Prithviraj himself in Bade Miyan Chote Miyan — Vivek Oberoi’s villain role in Lucifer was exceptional. His character gave additional depth to Stephen and the film as a whole. At the same time, the makers also ensured to not provide the character with unnecessary massy elements just to to satisfy his stardom and fandom, in contrast to typical fanservice-driven movies.

Although it’s undeniable that, given Prithviraj’s technical expertise and the “words of wisdom” he consistently shared during prior interviews, he could have aimed for a more substantial debut directorial, Lucifer indeed established an exceptionally high standard for fanboy tribute movies, a level that remains unsurpassed even after five years.

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