THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
With the film Empuraan under scrutiny and facing criticism from the RSS mouthpiece, the film’s director and lead actor, Prithviraj Sukumaran, has received a notice from the Income Tax Department.
The notice seeks clarification regarding his remuneration and financial dealings related to films released in 2022.
Empuraan hit theatres on March 27, and the notice was issued on March 29. Prithviraj has been asked to respond to the notice on or before April 29.
Confirming the development, his mother and veteran actress Mallika Sukumaran said her son has done nothing wrong and will respond appropriately.
The IT notice pertains to three films — Jana Gana Mana, Kaduva, and Gold — in which Prithviraj was both an actor and co-producer.
Authorities have reportedly raised questions about discrepancies in the accounting of his remuneration.
Officials have clarified that this notice is a continuation of the investigations initiated following IT raids conducted in 2022.
Incidentally, Empuraan’s co-producer Gokulam Gopalan is also under the scanner of the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Gopalan’s offices and residences in Chennai and Kozhikode have been raided by the ED. Although authorities have claimed the raids are not related to the controversy surrounding Empuraan, speculation continues.
Prithviraj, 42, is the son of late actor Sukumaran, who was one of Malayalam cinema’s most popular stars in the 1980s. While studying for an MBA in Australia, Prithviraj entered films by chance during a vacation and made his debut with Nandanam in 2002.
He rose to stardom with Classmates and, in 2006, won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor for his performance in Vaasthavam.
In 2010, he ventured into production, and his career gained momentum. His directorial debut, Lucifer, the first part in the Empuraan series, cemented his stature in the industry.
Amid the ongoing controversy, Prithviraj has kept a low profile.
News of the IT notice to Prithviraj Sukumaran broke on Saturday.
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