Indian star under fire over Muralitharan’s biopic

CHENNAI: A Indian film star is at the centre of a political storm after agreeing to play the lead in a biopic of Sri Lanka’s legendary cricket spinner and national hero Muttiah Muralitharan.

Vijay Sethupathi is under pressure in his southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu not to accept the role in “800” — named after the world record number of Test wickets Muralitharan took, in addition to 534 One-day International scalps.

Tamil politicians in India accuse Muralitharan, who retired from Test cricket in 2010, of betraying fellow Tamils in his country during a civil war that ended in 2009.

India’s small MDMK party, which opposes the Sinhalese-led government in Sri Lanka, demanded that Sethupathi not take the role, saying Muralitharan sided with Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, who as president defeated the separatist insurgency.