5 days Ago
The Income Tax Department issued a notice to Prithviraj Sukumaran about his income from three 2022...
Read More Trouble seems to be mounting around L2: Empuraan. Just days after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided the offices of producer Gokulam Gopalan, the Income Tax Department has now issued a notice to actor-director Prithviraj Sukumaran. According to a TNIE report, the notice asks Prithviraj to clarify details about his income from three films released in 2022—projects where he was both in front of and behind the camera.
Adding to the update, officials clarified that the notice sent to Prithviraj Sukumaran was system-generated, not part of a targeted probe. As per reports, it was emailed to the actor on March 29 after routine assessments flagged discrepancies in his 2022 tax filings. The Income Tax Department has asked him to submit his explanation by April 29.
While it may appear linked to the ongoing L2: Empuraan controversy, sources suggest this is a standard procedural notice, commonly issued when clarifications are required. The Income Tax Department’s notice to Prithviraj Sukumaran is linked to three of his 2022 films — Jana Gana Mana, Gold, and Kadavu. The actor-director not only headlined these projects but also co-produced them.
However, what’s raised eyebrows is that he reportedly did not draw any acting fee for his lead roles and instead received earnings solely as a co-producer. Now, the IT Department is asking for clarity on this income structure as part of a routine verification process. In 2022, Prithviraj Sukumaran had already come under the Income Tax Department’s radar when officials searched his home, office, and production company over suspected discrepancies in his filings.
Prominent producers like Antony Perumbavoor, Listin Stephen, and Anto Joseph were also part of similar scrutiny at the time. According to The Hindu, the recent notice served to Prithviraj is actually a follow-up to that earlier investigation, and not directly related to the ongoing L2: Empuraan controversy. This development comes even as Prithviraj is grabbing headlines for his much-anticipated directorial, L2: Empuraan.
The film, which stars Mohanlal, Manju Warrier, Tovino Thomas, and Abhimanyu Singh, has stirred up debate over certain scenes referencing the 2002 Gujarat riots—particularly in the context of Prithviraj’s character, Zayed Masood’s backstory. Following backlash, the makers stepped in proactively. They made voluntary edits, which included trimming some references, altering a character’s name, and tweaking dialogues to tone down the intensity and avoid further controversy.
Despite the storm, the film continues to remain a hot topic in both political and cinematic circles..
