Lucifer

Visual Effects and Digital Intermediate

Lucifer is a 2019 Indian Malayalam-language action film directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran and written by Murali Gopy. Produced by Antony Perumbavoor through the production house Aashirvad Cinemas, the film marks Prithviraj’s directorial debut and features Mohanlal in the lead role, alongside a supporting cast including Vivek Oberoi (in his Malayalam debut), Manju Warrier, Tovino Thomas, Indrajith Sukumaran, Saniya Iyappan, Saikumar, Kalabhavan Shajohn, Nyla Usha, and Prithviraj Sukumaran in an extended cameo role. Deepak Dev composed the music for the film, and the cinematography was handled by Sujith Vaassudev.

Development of the film began in 2016 when Murali pitched a story to Prithviraj at the sets of Tiyaan in Ramoji Film City, it was when he decided to make Lucifer his directorial debut. Title of the film was taken from an unrealised project of director Rajesh Pillai which was also written by Murali with another story. Pre-production of Lucifer began in 2017 and Murali completed the final draft of the screenplay in February 2018. Principal photography began in mid-July that year and lasted till January 2019, with filming carried out in Thiruvananthapuram, Idukki, Ernakulam, and Kollam districts, and Mumbai, Bangalore, Lakshadweep, and Russia.

Lucifer was released in theatres worldwide on 28 March 2019. The film performed well at the box office. It crossed the ₹50 crore mark in four days, ₹100 crore mark in eight days and the ₹150 crore mark in 21 days becoming the fastest Malayalam film to reach all three milestones. It is also the first Malayalam film to gross over ₹50 crore in overseas box office. Lucifer is currently the highest-grossing Malayalam film ever. A follow-up to the film, titled L2: Empuraan is set to begin production in the second half of 2020 with Mohanlal and Prithviraj returning to reprise their roles with the latter again directing.