Prithviraj Sukumaran: It's a lie that drugs or alcohol fuel great cinema
Prithviraj Sukumaran too voiced his support for the anti-drug initiative, telling the younger generation that no great work of art or good cinema has been borne out of drug abuse.
Last Updated: 06.13 PM, Jun 26, 2025
After a series of recent films portrayed riveting crime and violence on screen, Malayalam cinema inevitably got blamed for the wrongdoings in Kerala society. In a move that could slightly take the blame of Mollywood, prominent Malayalam actors have been wholeheartedly backing the State's anti-drug campaign. Prithviraj Sukumaran too voiced his support for the initiative, telling the younger generation that no great work of art or good cinema has been borne out of substance abuse.
‘Narcotics is a dirty business,’ Prithviraj Sukumaran reminds youngsters
Popular Malayalam actor-filmmaker Prithivraj Sukumaran recently took part in the anti-drug campaign, named No Entry. Speaking to the students during the event in Kochi, Prithviraj said that arts and literature have, unfortunately, romanticised the use of drugs to some extent.
"There is a wrong notion that it is a fuel for creative people or to do something creative. Trust me, it is a lie. No great piece of art has been written here… No good film has been made under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Even some of the big writers and directors that I personally know stop having alcohol when they start writing," Prithviraj said.
Admitting that peer pressure plays a huge role in the life of youngsters, Prithviraj said that students should realise what is right and stay away from groups that require them to take the wrong step. He assured the youngsters that there are big aspirations in life that will give them a bigger high.
“I have already told the people who know me - Narcotics is a dirty business,” Prithviraj said, quoting from his movie Lucifer, even as the crowd broke into applause.
For those of you who haven’t seen Lucifer, Mohanlal’s character, Stephen Nedumpally, while resisting the efforts to form deals with the drug mafia, says, ‘Narcotics is a dirty business’. It is one of the popular dialogues from the movie. Prithviraj directed this movie, which was penned by Murali Gopy.
Prithviraj Sukumaran’s work front
Meanwhile, Prithviraj was last seen in Empuraan, the Lucifer sequel, which he also directed. The film ran into controversy after right-wing supporters took objection to certain scenes and characters in L2 Empuraan.
His upcoming film is Nobody, helmed by Nissam Basheer and also features Parvathy Thiruvothu.