Thackeray: Tamil actor Siddharth criticises biopic for recreating 'hate speech against South Indians'

Tamil actor Siddharth, in a series of tweets, slammed the Thackeray biopic, starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray. Siddharth criticised the film for romanticising the leader's hate speech against the South Indian community.

The actor raised objections against a dialogue spoken by Nawazuddin in a recreation of Balasaheb's speech.

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!

— Siddharth (@Actor_Siddharth) December 26, 2018

Poetic justice is when a Muslim actor from UP gets to play the part of the revered Marathi bigot in a propaganda film. — Siddharth (@Actor_Siddharth) December 26, 2018

The conveniently un-subtitled #Marathi trailer of #Thackeray. So much hate sold with such romance and heroism (Music, tiger roars, applause, jingoism). No solidarity shown to millions of South Indians and immigrants who make #Mumbai great. #HappyElections! https://t.co/F13jMcIRle — Siddharth (@Actor_Siddharth) December 27, 2018

Balasaheb, who started out as a cartoonist and later became a politician, in his many speeches and columns in Sena's publication Marmik, expressed his stance on the South Indian community. He opposed the influx of South Indians in Mumbai and said that preference be given to the Marathi community, writes The New Indian Express. The trailer was released on 26 December. The CBFC has objected to the dialogues referencing the South Indian community in a derogatory manner.