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Tamil star Vijay Sethupathi is facing wrath on social media since the motion poster of his upcoming movie 800 was launched on Tuesday.
It is a biopic of Muttiah Muralitharan and Sethupathi plays the role of the legendary Sri Lankan cricketer.
"I am delighted that Murali himself will be closely involved with the project and guiding me on the cricketing aspects. I am thankful to both Murali and the producers for the faith bestowed on me," Sethupathi said after the launch.
But fans in Tamil Nadu are upset that the actor took up the role of the Tamil-origin cricketer who never spoke out against the alleged atrocities that the Sri Lankan government inflicted on the country's Tamil population in the civil war.
Netizens used the hashtag #ShameOnVijaySethupati to convey their anger and disappointment.
"Always admired Vijay Sethupathi as an actor. But now he has shattered the respect I had by making this traitor's life history," wrote one Twitter user.
"The Sinhala government has massacred two lakh Tamils in Eelam. There is no other proof than this that #VijaySethupathi cannot feel this pain!," wrote another user.
"Can a biopic of (Pakistani cricketer) #Afridi be made in India and get support from Indians? #ShameOnVijay Sethupathi," said another.
800 is touted as a moving portrayal of Muralitharan - one of cricket's most brilliant and divisive characters.
The film will be shot in Sri Lanka, the United Kingdom, Australia and India. The shooting is slated to start early next year and the film will be released at the end of next year.
It will be made in Tamil and dubbed in all South Indian languages as well as Hindi, Bengali and Sinhalese.
An international version with English subtitles is also being planned.
Muralitharan is the only cricketer to have taken 800 Test wickets. He also picked up 534 in one-day internationals and and 13 in Twenty20 internationals.
Indo-Asian News Service
