Muttiah Muralitharan urges Vijay Sethupati to step down from '800', read statement

In light of the ongoing controversy over the upcoming biopic 800 based on Muttiah Muralitharan, the Sri Lankan cricketer has urged Vijay Sethupati to step down as the lead actor. The 42-year-old Tamil actor shared Muralitharan's letter, urging Sethupati to quit the project so that it does not damage his future prospects. 

Sharing Muralitharan's official statement on Monday, Sethupati wrote, "Thank you." It is still unclear whether the actor has accepted Muralitharan's request to step down or will continue with the project.

"It has come to my attention that the news of my autobiography 800 has been received negatively in Tamil Nadu. Certain factions within the Tamil cine industry and political parties feel strongly against the making of this movie. And have repeatedly asked actor Vijay Sethupathi to step down from the role. This controversy has arisen due to a misunderstanding of what the movie is about and also if the challenges that I have had to face as a Sri Lankan Tamil while growing up. In light of this, I would also urge Vijay Sethupathi to decline the offer and step down because I am aware what harm it might cause the actor if he went through this and also how it would affect his future prospects," Muralitharan wrote to Sethupati in Tamil. 

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'This movie will release'

Furthermore, he also wrote, "However, my life has always been a struggle which I have overcome at every stage successfully and this is just another obstacle that I will cross. I thank all my friends, family, Vijay Sethupathi, his fans, the people of Tamil Nadu and a few politicians who have supported me on this. This movie will release because the intention was always to motivate and entertain people and to that effect the producers have also assured me the same thing."

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The biopic titled 800 was announced last week and immediately burst into a controversy as several political parties argued that the veteran cricketer had made statements which were against the cause of Sri Lankan Tamils. Following the brewing controversy, MDMK Chief and MP Vaiko on Thursday had asked Vijay Sethupathi not to act as Muralitharan as the latter is a 'disappointment' for the Tamilians across the world. Moreover, legendary Tamil film director Bharathiraja too stepped in as he wrote an open letter to the actor urging him to quit the project. 

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However, on October 16, Muralitharan broke his silence on the matter and expressed displeasure over him being accused of being ‘against the Tamils’.  "Some people out of ignorance and some for political reasons are portraying me as against the Tamil race and it is anguishing," the veteran spinner said in a statement. The 48-year-old had clarified his comment, made in 2019, saying 2009 was the ‘happiest year' of his life. He stated that people were twisting his statement to being ‘happiest’ about the ‘slaughter of Tamils’, as he asserted that he had never endorsed the killing of innocent people.  

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