Lucifer is a 2019 Indian tamil language action film directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran and written by Murali Gopy. Produced by Antony Perumbavoor through the production house Aashirvad Cinemas, Lucifer 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 Lucifer, and the cinematography was handled by Sujith Vaassudev.
At Interpol’s head office in France, an officer is looking at reports about a mysterious man named Khureshi-Ab’ram on his computer—an unidentified entity involved in transcontinental trade. A message from the Central Intelligence Agency pops up, about a suspected diamond-gold nexus working in tandem with the warlords of Africa. An image believed to be of Ab’ram’s is received, taken in Istanbul on 7 April 2006. The officer immediately dials Interpol’s secure phone line and says: “Flag it off. It’s Ab’ram. Khureshi-Ab’ram”.
Meanwhile, in Kerala, the chief minister P. K. “PKR” Ramdas (Khedekar) has died. Leader of the ruling party, Indian Union Front (IUF), PKR died at the Medayil Institute of Medical Science and Research, which happens to be the hospital owned by the daughter of the opposition party’s (RPI[M]) leader, Medayil Rajan’s. Taking advantage of the situation, the acting chief minister, Mahesha Varma (Saikumar), directs party activists to form a riot outside the hospital, uttering slogans accusing Rajan of murder, believing it would benefit in the upcoming elections.
Govardhan (Indrajith), a mysterious man who identifies himself as a truth-seeker, records a Facebook live stream, in which he condemns those who praise PKR, claiming he was a puppet during his final years in the hands of a financial syndicate that holds the Indian political system. He claims that the IUF party has double the money the state’s treasury has and “warns” the viewers that the person who will replace PKR is crucial. He lists five possible candidates—Priyadarshini “Priya” Ramdas (Warrier), Bimal “Bobby” Nair (Oberoi), Jathin Ramdas (Tovino), Mahesha Varma, and Stephen Nedumpally (Mohanlal).
From Govardhan’s narration, Priya and Jathin are PKR’s daughter and son, respectively. Priya, not involved in active politics, has a college-going daughter, Jhanvi (Saniya), who she had with her first husband Jayadevan, who died in a questionable car accident in Dubai seven years ago. A year after the accident, she married an NRI, Bobby. Bobby was involved with real estate and Hawala scams blemishing PKR’s goodwill. Jathin lives in the US and is completely uninvolved in politics. Other than his existence, Jathin’s whereabouts are unknown to the public. Varma is the most likely successor with his seniority, known particularly for his lobbying skills. Stephen is an upstart promoted by PKR and a name not known until the last six years. Govardhan describes him as the “most dangerous” among them and calls him Lucifer. Little is known about his past other than his contract work for post-war reconstruction in Iraq and Afghanistan and gold smuggling from Dubai to Mattancherry, information retrieved from Govardhan’s dark web research. Govardhan questions why PKR endorse a person with such records by consorting him in every meetings and conference, even vacating his consecutively winning Nedumpally assembly seat for him last year.
Meanwhile, in Mumbai, Bobby meets an acquaintance, Abdul (Menon), Bobby tells him that the medical report has not arrived, but everything is under control. He reveals PKR had called him a month ago to intimidate him in an attempt to stop his illegal drug trade. Bobby plans to fund the IUF party, replacing the present financier Manappattil Chandy by offering three times over, by way of illegal drug trafficking. With the help of Abdul, Bobby cuts a deal with the drug lord Fyodor. Fyodor agrees to transfer ₹250 crore every month in exchange of allowing unchecked Z-category drugs into Kerala once the IUF wins the election. But for the deal to proceed, Bobby has to first set up a drug production facility in Kerala. Abdul insists it should be in the government-sealed timber factory in Nedumpally range.
At the same time, the cremation ceremony of PKR is carried out in Kerala. Priya asks Varma to forbid Stephen from the ceremony. On Varma’s orders, commissioner Mayilvahanam attempts hindering his way but fails. In the absence of Jathin—last informed to be on a camping trip, Priya performs the rituals which were supposed to have performed by Jathin. After the ceremony, Bobby arrives home and unbeknownst to Priya, secretly gives Jhanvi Malana cream. Bobby convenes a meeting with the IUF ministers, informing his decision to fund the party and dissolve the current ministry to prepone the election to take advantage on the present sympathy wave, nominating Jathin as the party’s next chief minister candidate.
Chandy is known to be Stephen’s ally. On the advice of Varma, Bobby attempts to reconcile with Stephen, but Stephen objects to funding the party with drug money and threatens Bobby against it. Enraged, Bobby bribes and assigns Sanjeev (Giju), the chief of IUF funded news channel NPTV, to conduct a smear campaign against Stephen, much to the chagrin of his co-worker and girlfriend Arundathi (Nyla). A reporter, Riju, is sent to Govardhan to collect evidence for his claims. But it happens he does not have any but claims Chandy is backed by the Khureshi-Ab’ram gang, a nexus that controls the gold-diamond trade in the world. He hands over a file named “Govardhan’s X-Files” containing pieces of evidence against Bobby. Sanjeev delivers this to Bobby. Govardhan is captured by IUF activist Murugan and is unwillingly confined to an asylum.
Bobby sends a group to the timber factory. Stephen, on knowing it kills six of them and single-handedly defeats the others. Stephen’s aide Aloshy (Shajon) espy and reports the incident to Bobby, revealing himself as a mole. Mayilvaahanam, was sent to detect evidence from the premise but finds nothing. Later, Bobby, from Priya’s diary, finds that she resents Stephen because her father gave more care for him, who was brought to their home as a child and was the cause for a rift between her parents. Stephen runs Ashrayam, a destitute home. Aloshy persuades one of the inmates, Aparna to slander Stephen. On NPTV’s show, she accuses Stephen of raping her and conduct of other illegal activities. This creates public outrage against Stephen, who is arrested and imprisoned. In prison, Stephen gets a phone call from Zayed Masood (Prithviraj), a mercenary and Stephen’s confidant.
Jathin arrives in the state and impresses the public with his speech. While transferring the fund to Bobby, Fyodor’s containers are attacked and the money is destroyed by Zayed and his cohorts, who demand the release of Stephen. Disobeying Bobby, Varma meets Rajan to arrange a hit on Stephen by his party goons in prison, though Stephen easily defeats them. Varma left with no choice, releases him. Meanwhile, Jhanvi is hospitalised after an LSD overdose. Mayilvaahanam blackmails Priya for sex in exchange for not filing a case against Jhanvi. From Jhanvi, Priya comes to know about Bobby’s lustful behaviour towards her. Bobby unhesitatingly admits to it and intimidates Priya with exposing Jhanvi’s contacts with drug peddlers and threatens to cast away her and Jhanvi as he cast away PKR and Jayadevan, revealing that he was responsible for their deaths. Meanwhile, Aparna admits on NPTV that she lied about Stephen.
With no other choice, Priya seeks the help of Stephen, who vows to protect them. Stephen’s men kill Mayilvaahanam. He meets with Sanjeev to clear NPTV’s debts, taking control of the channel. Jathin and Priya convene a press conference to expose Bobby’s illegal trades. Jathin tells Bobby that he came not because he asked, but on Stephen’s orders. Bobby is held in Mumbai by Fyodor’s men. Before Fyodor could kill him, Zayed and gang kill them, rescuing Bobby for Stephen to kill. Revealing himself to be Stephen’s spy, Murugan kills Aloshy. Govardhan is released and reunited with his wife and daughter. Jathin is elected as the new chief minister. In a remote location in Russia, Stephen meets Zayed and gang and attends a phone call of a gold-diamond merchant Sanghani, to whom he introduces himself as Khureshi-Ab’ram. In the closing credits, headlines of various international newspapers are shown reporting Ab’ram as the head of an Illuminati society.
Directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran
Produced by Antony Perumbavoor
Written by Murali Gopy
Starring Mohanlal
Music by Deepak Dev
Cinematography Sujith Vaassudev
Edited by Samjith Mohammed
Production Aashirvad Cinemas
Distributed by Maxlab Cinemas and Entertainments
Release date 28 March 2019
Running time 174 minutes
Country India
Language Tamil
