The much-anticipated biopic 800, based on the life of Sri Lankan cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan, is back on track after actor Vijay Sethupathi withdrew from the project following a political controversy. The film's makers unveiled the first look poster on Muralitharan's birthday, featuring actor Madhurr Mittal of Slumdog Millionaire fame as the lead. Directed by MS Sripathy, the title 800 refers to the record number of wickets Muralitharan took in test cricket.
The controversy surrounding the film arose when Vijay Sethupathi, who was initially cast as Muralitharan, decided to opt out of the project due to outrage from Tamil nationalists and a section of film personalities and politicians in Tamil Nadu.
Muralitharan has been a controversial figure in Sri Lanka due to his perceived support of the Sri Lankan government during the civil war with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). He had campaigned in favour of Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the war-time defense secretary, during the elections in Sri Lanka in 2019. This led to objections from Tamils in the country and led to uproar surrounding his views on the issue. Despite Muralitharan citing his own Tamil origin and explaining that he never treated Eelam Tamils with disrespect, the controversy persisted.
With the casting of Madhurr Mittal as the lead actor, 800 aims to portray the untold story of Muralitharan's life and his journey to becoming a cricketing legend. The first look poster, shared on social media by Sony Music South, has generated excitement among fans of the iconic cricketer.
The film is set to release in Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi languages, and the unveiling of the poster on Muralitharan's birthday has added significance to the occasion for Madhurr Mittal, who expressed his gratitude and excitement for the opportunity to portray the cricket prodigy on the big screen.
