What is the Illuminati, the secret organisation believed to control global affairs, which is referenced in Mohanlal-Prithviraj Sukumaran’s Empuraan?

SCREEN Exclusive | Mohanlal, Prithviraj on Empuraan: ‘This movie is not all just glitz and snazzy shots’

The post-credits scene of Lucifer (2019) features a set of news snippets, one of which reads, “Khureshi Ab’raam: Illuminati’s new arm?” Meanwhile, the teaser for Empuraan features truth-seeker Govardhan (Indrajith Sukumaran) speaking about a powerful organisation, saying, “Their presence is apparent all over the world.” The trailer further builds on this, with Govardhan urging Stephen Nedumpally (Mohanlal), who operates under the alias Khureshi Ab’raam in the world of organised crime, to “Save your land.” These dialogues indicate that the character is part of a higher order, one potent enough to raise or destroy an entire populace, a notion further underscored by a voiceover saying: “His eyes see everything.”

Interestingly, the promos and some posters of the movie also, albeit subtly, feature the image of an eye enclosed within a triangle. This symbol, widely recognised as the Eye of Providence or All-Seeing Eye, is famously depicted on the United States one-dollar bill. However, it is frequently associated with the Illuminati too. In the meantime, the promo materials also include what appears to be a cicada symbol, which could be connected to the mysterious internet group Cicada 3301. This organisation gained notoriety for its complex cryptographic puzzles and alternate reality games, which were apparently designed to recruit highly intelligent individuals. However, the true purpose and identity of Cicada 3301 remain a mystery even now.

These elements have significantly piqued the interest of audiences, who have been scouring the internet to understand what the Illuminati is and whether there is any solid evidence of its existence.

The promo videos and some posters of Empuraan, albeit subtly, feature the image of an eye enclosed within a triangle, often linked with the Illuminati. Screenshot: YouTube/AashirvadCinemasOfficial)

While there are various theories about the origins of this supposed apocryphal society, Encyclopedia Britannica notes that the group most commonly linked to the name Illuminati was a short-lived intellectual movement founded in 1776 by Adam Weishaupt, a professor of canon law at Ingolstadt and a former Jesuit. His goal was to replace Christianity with a religion rooted in reason. Weishaupt’s Bavarian Illuminati is believed to have included influential figures such as astronomer Johann Bode, writer and bookseller Friedrich Nicolai, philosopher Friedrich Jacobi and poet Friedrich Leopold. However, internal conflicts plagued the movement and it was ultimately dissolved by the Bavarian government in 1785.

According to the BBC, the modern perception of the Illuminati bears little resemblance to the Bavarians. Its documentary “What is the fascination with the Illuminati conspiracy?” suggests that the conspiracy theory we know about today stems from the Discordian movement, which embraced the idea that “chaos is as important as order”. This concept was further popularised by Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson’s The Illuminatus!, a series of three novels that incorporated numerous conspiracy theories, intentionally blending fact and fiction to spread misinformation and intrigue.

Although the extent to which Empuraan incorporates the Illuminati conspiracy will only be revealed upon the film’s release, its writer, Murali Gopy, once shared his perspective on the concept. “The concept of the Illuminati suggests that the system we see, government policies, advertisements we see or overlook in daily life, their styles, and both major and minor aspects of life are all imposed on us through a specific design—one that we are unaware of. It also implies that we move according to this design and that there is a group guiding this entire idea,” he shared during a chat with Club FM.

L2 Empuraan Movie | Release Date, Tickets price, Advance Booking, Box Office Collection Prediction, other details

Starring Mohanlal, Prithviraj Sukumaran, Manju Warrier, Abhimanyu Singh, Tovino Thomas, Andrea Tivadar, Jerome Flynn and Indrajith Sukumaran in key roles, Empuraan hits the screens on March 27. It is the second installment in a planned trilogy that commenced with Prithviraj’s directorial debut Lucifer (2019).