‘L2: Empuraan’: From Mohanlal’s ‘Barroz’ to Prithviraj Sukumaran’s ‘Aadujeevitham’, 7 Most Expensive Malayalam Movies Released to Date and How They Fared at Box Office
Prithviraj Sukumaran, actor-director of the upcoming L2: Empuraan (due for release on March 27), may be downplaying reports that his film was made on a budget of INR 150 crores. However, the cat is out of the bag – and it’s a slightly bigger one. Gokulam Gopalan, one of the film’s producers from Sree Gokulam Movies, revealed in an interview that L2: Empuraan was made on a budget of INR 180 crores! ‘L2 Empuraan’ Budget Leak: Mohanlal-Starrer Exceeds INR 150 Crore? Producer Gokulam Gopalan Contradicts Prithviraj Sukumaran’s Claim, Reveals Higher Figure (Watch Video).
This makes L2: Empuraan the most expensive Malayalam film ever made. Ironically, its predecessor, Lucifer (2019), was reportedly made on a modest budget of just INR 30 crores. That’s a sixfold increase now! But as the trailer shows, the money is clearly on the screen – a promise Prithviraj reiterated in his interview with The Hollywood Reporter India’s Anupama Chopra.
However, Prithviraj and his lead star Mohanlal should be wary: the Malayalam box office hasn’t always been kind to big-budget films. Mohanlal, in particular, should know – many of these expensive ventures feature him in the lead.
In this feature, we look at the seven most expensive Malayalam films before L2: Empuraan and how they fared at the box office. (PS: The rule of thumb is that a film needs to recover 2.5 times its production cost through worldwide gross to be considered a hit.)
7. Odiyan (2018)
Mohanlal in Odiyan
Budget: INR 50 crore
Worldwide Gross: INR 54 crore
Mohanlal’s big-budget drama, directed by ad-man VA Shrikumar Menon, opened with a thunderous start on December 14, 2018. However, negative reviews and audience response led to a steep decline. While its overall performance was fair, thanks to the good start, the high budget kept it from being a clean hit. The film also starred Manju Warrier and Prakash Raj.
6. Mamangam (2019)
Mammootty, Achuthan and Unni Mukundan in Mamangam
Budget: INR 55 crore
Worldwide Gross: INR 57.40 crore
Mammootty’s attempt at a pan-Indian period action drama fell flat after Mamangam received poor reviews. Despite a strong opening – fueled by pre-release hype comparing it to Mammootty’s iconic Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha – M Padmakumar’s film was a major box-office disappointment. Producers claimed a INR 100 crore gross, but the actual figures told a different story. The film also starred Unni Mukundan, Prachi Tehlan, and Siddique.
5. Malaikottai Vaaliban (2024)
Mohanlal in Malaikottai Vaaliban
Budget: INR 65 crore
Worldwide Gross: INR 29.82 crore
Whether due to mismatched audience expectations or its unconventional approach, Lijo Jose Pellissery’s first collaboration with Mohanlal – a period fantasy drama – deserves a case study of its own. Despite massive hype, the film wasn’t the ‘commercial masala flick’ many expected, leading to a severe audience backlash (though some critics defended it). The result? A major box-office flop. Malaikottai Vaaliban Movie Review: Mohanlal and Lijo Jose Pellissery’s Film is a Picturesque Disappointment!
4. Turbo (2024)
Mammootty in Turbo
Budget: INR 70 crore
Worldwide Gross: INR 72 crore
A disclaimer: Reports peg Mammootty’s Turbo at anywhere between INR 60-70 crore; however, we are not sure where that money actually went into the movie. While it didn’t perform poorly, given its high cost, it was still an underperformer. Directed by Vysakh, the film also starred Raj B Shetty, Anjana Jayaprakash, Shabareesh Varma, Niranjana Anoop, and Bindu Panicker.
3. Aadujeevitham (2024)
Prithviraj in Aadujeevitham
Budget: INR 82 crore
Worldwide Gross: INR 157.62 crore
Again, the exact budget of Blessy’s harrowing survival drama (starring Prithviraj) is unclear. Online figures suggest it was a huge hit, nearly doubling its budget (allegedly including marketing costs). Yet, Blessy himself recently stated that the film underperformed theatrically – so the box-office verdict remains ambiguous.
2. Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham (2021)
Mohanlal in Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham
Budget: INR 100 crore
Worldwide Gross: INR 45.4 crore
A year before its release, Marakkar won Best Film at the National Awards. After its theatrical debut, audiences were left wondering: how did it win that award? Priyadarshan’s ambitious period drama, starring Mohanlal, opened well but failed to impress critics or viewers, becoming a major box-office disaster. The ensemble cast included Pranav Mohanlal, Manju Warrier, Arjun Sarja, Suniel Shetty, Prabhu, Ashok Selvan, Keerthy Suresh, and Mukesh.
1. Barroz (2024)
Mohanlal in Barroz
Budget: INR 150 crore
Worldwide Gross: INR 15.1 crore
The latest (and now second-most-expensive) film on this list is also the most trolled. Many doubted Mohanlal’s directorial debut was made on such a huge budget, but Sharon Thomas, the film’s marketing head, confirmed the figure on camera. Whether exaggerated or not, the film’s catastrophic underperformance has rendered the debate meaningless anyway. ‘Barroz’ Movie Review: Mohanlal’s Directorial Debut Is a 3-D Misfire!
‘L2: Empuraan’ Box Office Expectations
How much does L2: Empuraan need to earn to be a hit?
If INR 180 crore includes production, marketing, and distribution, it needs at least INR 300 crore worldwide to break even.
If it’s production cost alone, the figure rises to INR 350 crore.
That said, the film is off to a strong start, with pre-release sales crossing INR 60 crore. If reviews and first-day audience responses are positive, L2: Empuraan could become Malayalam cinema’s first INR 300 crore grosser.
(The above story first appeared on Today News 24 on Mar 26, 2025 06:38 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website todaynews24.top).
