Kollywood actor Vijay Sethupathi to opt out of Muralitharan biopic

After backlash from the Tamil film fraternity and Tamil national outfits, Kollywood actor Vijay Sethupathi is likely to opt out of 800, the biopic of Sri Lankan spinner Muthiah Muralitharan.

Hinting at backing off from the movie, Vijaysethupathi on Monday (October 19) tweeted “Nandri, Vanakkama” along with the statement of Muralitharan, in which the bowler has requested the actor to opt out of the movie due to the criticism he’s been facing.

நன்றி.. வணக்கம் 🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/PMCPBDEgAC

— VijaySethupathi (@VijaySethuOffl) October 19, 2020

“I do not want a great actor of Tamil Nadu to get affected because of  me. And also, there should not be any hindrance in the actor’s future journey,” said the Lankan spinner in his statement.

Muralitharan also said he has always fought all the odds to reach his position. “I accepted to make a biopic thinking that the motive would inspire the future generations and young cricketers. Now, there is a hindrance for this too. I believe I would overcome all these and take it to the people,” he said, adding that an announcement on this would come soon.

Ever since the actor posted an update about the movie, Tamil nationalist outfits and pro-Eelam supporters had been demanding Sethupathi to back off from the film. The pro-Eelam groups allege Muralidaran had never spoken against the atrocities against the Tamils during the Eelam war.

Related news: Director Bharathiraja asks Vijay Sethupathi to drop Muralitharan biopic

While political parties like MDMK, PMK, Naam Tamizhar party have been demanding the actor to back off from the movie, BJP and Congress have spoken in favour of the actor.

However, refuting the allegations, Muralitharan on Friday released a statement saying that he has never supported the killings of Tamils.

“When I made a statement in 2019 that 2009 was the best year of my life, it was misconstrued that I was celebrating the genocide of Eelam Tamils. I never supported genocide and I will never support,” Muralitharan said in his statement on Friday.