Prithviraj Sukumaran’s directorial and starrer Malayalam film L2: Empuraan continues to be entangled in controversy. The Enforcement Directorate recently searched the home of Gokulam Gopalan, the co-producer of the Malayalam film.
Following the ED search, the Income Tax Department has reportedly sent a notice to actor-director Prithviraj Sukumaran regarding his films released in 2022.
According to News18 reports, Prithviraj Sukumaran has received a notice to further clarify his earnings from three films released in 2022, which include Jana Gana Mana, Gold, and Kaduva.
All three movies were co-produced by his production company, Prithviraj Productions. The notice was reportedly issued on March 29, just two days after the release of Empuraan, which sparked controversy over its alleged portrayal of the 2002 Gujarat riots.
However, the IT department has claimed that they had sent the notice as part of ‘the usual procedure.’ The department has also claimed that it was a follow-up to searches conducted at premises related to the actor in 2022.
Prithviraj reportedly did not take any payment for acting in the film but earned around Rs 40 crore as a producer. The department is seeking clarification regarding the income received under the name of his production company.
The reports further suggested that the tax rate on an actor’s earnings is higher compared to that of a co-producer. The Income Tax department has asked Prithviraj to provide details for accurate assessment. The actor has been given until April 29 to respond to the notice.
Prithviraj, who plays the role of Zayeed Masood in Empuraan, has been facing criticism from the Sangh Parivar over the film’s alleged biased depiction of the Godhra riots.
