On Friday, Mohanlal’s upcoming biggie L2: Empuraan set a new benchmark in pre-release ticket sales, selling 96,000+ tickets on BookMyShow within the first hour in Kerala alone, as claimed by the makers. This figure reportedly surpasses the previous records held by Vijay's Leo (82,000+) and Pushpa 2 (80,000+), making it the highest hourly pre-sale for an Indian film.

According to industry trackers, L2: Empuraan has already generated Rs 20.50 crore ($2.3 million) in global pre-release sales. Directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran and scripted by Murali Gopy, the film serves as the second instalment in the Lucifer trilogy. Mohanlal reprises his role as Khureshi-Ab’raam, with returning cast members including Prithviraj, Tovino Thomas, Manju Warrier, and Indrajith Sukumaran. New additions include international actors Jerome Flynn, Andrea Tivadar, and Eriq Ebouaney, alongside Abhimanyu Singh, Suraj Venjaramoodu, Kishore, and Kaarthikeyaa Dev.

L2: Empuraan, slated to hit theatres worldwide on March 27, marks a first for Malayalam cinema with its release in IMAX format. The technical team sees cinematographer Sujith Vaassudev, music composer Deepak Dev, and action choreographer Stunt Silva retaining their roles from the first instalment, while Akhilesh Mohan serves as the editor.