Prithviraj Sukumaran admits he is a 'complete nepotism product': I only got my first film because of my surname

Prithviraj Sukumaran is one of the biggest names in Malayalam cinema today. The actor-filmmaker has traversed language boundaries, given blockbusters in Malayalam, and carved a niche for himself pan-India. But if you believe him, it all began because of nepotism. In a recent interview, Prithviraj addressed his privilege and the impact of his father's legacy on his career. (Also read: Prithviraj Sukumaran cast Nikhat Khan Hegde in L2 Empuraan before knowing she's Aamir Khan's sister)

Prithviraj Sukumaran on nepotism

Prithviraj is the son of the late Sukumaran, one of the most popular stars in Malayalam cinema in the 70s and 80s. Even though the superstar died in 1997, before Prithviraj began his acting career, the actor admits his name helped him. In an interview with Pinkvilla, the actor said, “I only got my first film because of my surname. I’m a complete nepo product.”

Prithviraj is currently promoting his directorial, L2: Empuraan. A sequel to his 2019 blockbuster Lucifer, the film stars Mohanlal and also features Prithviraj in an extended cameo. Apart from these two, the film boasts of a strong ensemble cast with names from Malayalam, Tamil, and Hindi cinema as well. Talking about getting such diverse actors in his film, Prithviraj said, “You are living in the easiest of times to get into cinema, in any medium you want to work in. Even if you create a great Instagram Reel today, you get noticed. You can do a great podcast, and people start talking about you.”

L2: Empuraan advance booking

L2: Empuraan is being called the biggest Malayalam film ever, in terms of its scale and cost. The film had a monumental start at the ticket windown when advance bookings opened on Friday. It sold nearly a lakh tickets in its first hour, the highest-ever for an Indian film as per reports. Empuraan had already collected ₹5 crore gross in advance booking for day 1 by the end of Friday. Given that advance bookings are yet to open outside Kerala, it is a great sign for the film. L2: Empuraan will be released on March 27.