CHENNAI/MUMBAI: Nawazuddin Siddiqui starrer “Thackeray”, a biopic on the late Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, was at the centre of a social media storm on Thursday with actor Siddharth among others calling it a propaganda film.
A day after the launch of the biopic’s trailer, actor Richa Chadha also put out a tweet on the film, which releases next month.
Produced by senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut, the film features Siddiqui in the title role.
South actor Siddharth on Wednesday hit out at the trailer on Twitter, dubbing the biopic a “propaganda film” selling hate against South Indians.
“Nawazuddin has repeated ‘Uthao lungi bajao pungi’ (lift the lungi and *’#$ him) in the film #Thackeray. Clearly hate speech against South Indians… In a film glorifying the person who said it! Are you planning to make money out of this propaganda? Stop selling hate! Scary stuff!” he tweeted.
Several others, including commentators and journalists, also shared their view on the film.
In the late 1960s, Thackeray targeted south Indians, accusing them of snatching jobs from local Marathi youths. He also dominated the headlines for his anti-Muslim tirade.
“Poetic justice is when a Muslim actor from UP gets to play the part of the revered Marathi bigot in a propaganda film,” the actor tweeted.
In 2016, Siddiqui pulled out of a Ramleela event at his village Budhana after Shiv Sena protested against him playing a character in the skit.
Siddharth also lashed out at the film’s “conveniently un-subtitled Marathi trailer”. (AGENCIES)
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