Vijay Sethupathi would play Sri Lankan cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan in “800.”
Chennai:
Tamil actor Vijay Sethupathi has retired from “800”, a biographical film about Sri Lankan cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan and his record of being the first bowler to take 800 proving grounds, following fierce and widespread criticism from political leaders and others in the southern state for their interpretation. a man who “played the violin when the Lankan Tamils died.”
Sethupathi’s departure from the film follows an appeal from the cricketer himself; Muralitharan said he did not want a top artist to be affected by his fault.
“It’s over,” Sethupathi told reporters today after Muralitharan said, “I don’t like (that) a prominent artist is affected by me. There should be no unnecessary obstacles for Vijay Sethupathi on his journey as an artist.”
Although Muralitharan is a Tamil from Lankan with roots in India, pro-Tamil groups have called him a “traitor of Tamils” and alleged that the cricketer supported the killing of Tamil civilians during the armed conflict between the LTTE and the government of Sri Lanka.
Veteran Tamil conductor Bharathiraja had said: “Muttiah (Muralitharan) played the violin when the Lankan Tamils were dying. What good is it to achieve as a sportsman when he laughs while his own people die? As far as we are concerned, Muttiah has betrayed (our) trust. “
PMK chief Dr. P Ramadoss said: “If Vijay Sethupathi rejects the film, he will find a place in Tamil history. If he does so in defiance of the opposition, he will find a place in the history of traitors.”
Apart from Bharathiraja and Dr. Ramadoss, at least two ministers from Tamil Nadu had also asked Mr. Sethupathi to drop the film.
Approximately one lakh of Tamil civilians were reportedly killed in bombardments by Lankan forces during the final phase of the war against the LTTE.
Meanwhile, Muralitharan has denied allegations that he supported the killings.
“I said that in 2009, to be the happiest day of my life, considering the end of the war and the loss of life on both sides. This (your comment) is being misrepresented as, ‘The day they killed the Tamils and piled up was the happiest day of my life, ‘”he clarified.
“I had never supported the killing of innocents and never would (ever),” he said.
He further explained that he only accepted the film because it would highlight the role of his parents and others who set him up for international success.
“I know the pain of war. I grew up in Sri Lanka in the middle of the war for more than 30 years. My father was hacked when I was seven years old. Many times we were on the streets,” he said.
The film’s producers, Dar Motion Pictures, also sought to defuse any controversy, saying it was “purely a sports biography.”
“This film will not show any scenes that disparage the struggles of the Eelam Tamils in Sri Lanka or hurt their feelings in any way,” the producers said.
As the controversy flared and grew (rapidly), Mr. Sethupathi initially seemed to hold his own, but no voice from the film fraternity expressed support or raised the issue of freedom of expression and an actor’s right to choose his films. .
In 2017, superstar Rajinikanth had to cancel his Sri Lankan program, in connection with his film “2.0”, to distribute houses to displaced Tamils. Around four lakhs of Tamils were expected.
It later emerged that some political parties warned Rajinikanth that the Lankan government could use his visit to falsely inform the international community that the Lankan Tamils had been rehabilitated.
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