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00:00Good afternoon, this is Manjusha Radhakrishnan from Gulf News and the Entertainment Editor.
00:12Today I have a very unlikely subject in the hot seat. It's the spin maestro and cricketing
00:18legend from Sri Lanka, Muthaiya Muralidharan. Why am I speaking to him is what you must
00:25be wondering. I'm not a sports reporter, but he's coming up with a movie. He's the subject
00:30of a film. He's on the other side. Your movie is all going to be about your life. How excited
00:35are you about it? Yeah, I'm very excited because I didn't think in my life they will take a
00:40sportsman as a movie. So I think Venkat Prabhu from director from South India, he just visited
00:48a foundation. I got a big foundation of goodness to help people. So that was a big in Sri Lanka.
00:55So he came to help the people. And then he saw my picture and came. He's my wife's childhood
01:00friend because they were living in Klisto in Chennai, Ariyapuram. So then he came to
01:06my house and then only he asked me whether you want to take a biopic because he took
01:11Chennai 28, that Tamil movie, because it was a big hit in India. So I was a little reluctant
01:19and my manager said, if you help, if you give the rights to them and they might have
01:24the foundation. So I gave it. So it went like five years took me because a lot of ifs and
01:30buts like Vijay Sethupathi wants to act first and then add problems like, you know, it's
01:36a political thing. And then Covid came. It stopped for two years. Now we are here with
01:44800. It's named 800 because last test week it's that I got 800. So that's why the movie
01:49named 800. So these movies are all about how the childhood and Sri Lanka traveled
01:55through. We are from India, from tea plantations. My grandfather in 1920s. We are third generation.
02:04So how we struggle because, you know, this problem was there so much. Our family was
02:09in that time when I was cricket. I was in cricket also had a lot of problems. So those
02:16ones and then how the country was at the time traveling with my life. So it's like
02:22a periodic and a biopic. And it's an interesting story. If you watch, definitely people will
02:28like it and people will know about who I am and where I am from and everything. And it's
02:34only 20, 25 percent of the movie is cricket. But inside everything, the story is how the
02:40people go through in 90s in cricket, how in 2000s and like that. It's elaborate everything.
02:47So it's going to be interesting. So it's running in India at the moment and running very well
02:52in Sri Lanka. And I thought gulf is UAE is something special for me because I have in
03:01Sajha cricket ground. I have taken 100 wickets. Only myself and Vasim has done in that Sajha
03:07cricket ground. So we used to come from 1992 to I think it's 2002. It's top Sajha. Now
03:14it's Dubai. So I played a lot of matches here, a lot of fans and a lot of Sri Lankans, a
03:20lot of Indians and also mainly Malayalam people because a lot of here and also there are a
03:29lot of Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, all cricket lovers. So this comes in two languages. We
03:35took it Tamil, Hindi, Telugu and Sinhalese. Oh, I see. So we are going to release here
03:42in Dubai in today. It's a Friday, Friday the 13th. Are you superstitious about the opening
03:53date at all? So it will be shown today, Hindi and Tamil version at seven o'clock in Dubai.
04:00I think tickets are all sold. I'm so happy for you. And and tomorrow they are showing
04:06the seven o'clock on 14th of this month showing the Sinhalese version. Then the distributors
04:14will carry on. Yes, of course. I really hope, you know, through word of mouth and people
04:19just love a good story at the end of the day. Most biopics, right? Be it Hollywood or Bollywood,
04:25people are worried whether it's going to be hagiography. Is it just going to gloss over
04:28your, you know, not so great parts of your life? Did you tell the makers that, you know what,
04:34it's going to be a Watson Mole approach? Well, even if I don't come across as the perfect human
04:39being, it's okay. See, one thing when they asked the thing I told them is it has to be a very true
04:45story. So the director, Sripathi was two years in Sri Lanka, spoke to every people, spoke to my
04:53parents, stayed within our house, went to our ancestors' place, everything and Indian, all the
04:58cricketers, everyone he researched. Then him and Shayan Karnad is one of the biggest book writers.
05:06He has book of this price also, he got it recently. So he and him collaborated and screenplay,
05:15they wrote the screenplay. But it is, I checked about 10 times, right? It has to be true. See,
05:23everything, it has been a true story. And I want it to be true story because it is not to
05:29portrait me or sites, okay? Whatever the happen, actual things, we have to do that. And how the
05:37country suffers, it's all there. Because if you see the movie, definitely you'll understand this
05:43is actually it's happened and true. Because this is what Sri Lanka about. Brilliant. The popular
05:49opinion is that you are one of the most lovable and amiable guys around, but you are very
05:53controversial as well. I don't know how that happened. Are the controversies such as your,
05:58perhaps your bullying method, all of that been addressed?
06:03See, I didn't want controversies. I want to be, I'm only one thing is, only thing is me
06:09controversial is I spade or spade. I speak the truth. Because whether in my life, I studied in
06:16age of 6 to 18 in the hostel, Catholic hostel. They brought me in that hostel. So, in that,
06:23you have friends, right? 60 in a dormitory. So, about 3,500 children in the school and 600,
06:30700 in the hostel. So, 60 in the dormitory. So, you have fights, you have everything.
06:35You have all religions, all everybody. So, to me, you might be wrong. Tomorrow, I will go if I
06:43realize and say sorry to him and I want to see his face for next whole year.
06:47True. It just teaches you how to hustle.
06:52That's something we have to forgive and forget. So, I'm sick of, I'm not saying in 1995, I'll
06:58just give an example. This is what my life is all about. Example, I'll give. Darul Laya called me
07:04in 1995. I was shocked and upset at the time and everything. But it was all properly ICC and
07:12everything. I got through it. In 2000, H Bastan, he was umpiring. So, after five years umpiring,
07:23the test match before umpire go and checks the wicket and he'll be standing and watching and
07:28everything what's happening. We warm up. So, I excused my captain and just walked to him
07:34and I shaked his hand and said, how are you? How's doing everything life? And I made it
07:39comfortable because according to ICC laws, you can't call anymore in the middle. So, he'll be
07:45worried. But I forget and forgive and finished that. So, I did that. He wrote in his book also
07:51like that. Right. So, I'm saying, actually, I mean it. So, this is the way I live. Sometimes,
08:00the controversial came, so many controversy. Cricket is, that is accused by Australians and
08:06everything and umpires and that went through whole 14 years of my career. I want to go test
08:12and prove myself, keep on. But under controversial is like, you know, there's a war. Right. Everyone
08:19understood. So, they expect me to talk for Tamils. See, when I was in 1995, I was 21 years old. I'm
08:31only Tamil. Minority got into the team. Everyone is single. It's 80% of single is and Muslims are
08:395% and everything. Every religion, everything backed me. They supported me. And the war was
08:45peak at the time. Even they could have rejected, he's a Tamil and we don't want to support him.
08:50Teammates, Arjuna, like a father figure, he supported me. Right. Like that, that's why I could
08:55go over here. That's why in 1998, I made this foundation of goodness. Yes. We serve close to
09:0450,000 people, families and 10,000 education-wise, free education. We have 80 sectors. So,
09:12this place to help people. Right. So, because they've done to me everything as a country,
09:19they think I'm a Sri Lankan and a cricketer and we want to support you. Right. And for the country
09:24wise. See, I also have. Because war comes, both people have problems. Let's politically
09:33measure that. Of course. People like us, it doesn't matter for us. We will effect it.
09:39We will, all community will get effected. Not only one community will get effected.
09:43So, they want to take a stand on their side. If we take a stand, what do you think? About the
09:48majority people, what they will think. There's no right or wrong. I mean, you're damned if you
09:53do that. Because I am not a political person. So, I have to be, I said always been a neutral,
09:59like you know, I'm a Sri Lankan first. Born a Hindu. Yes. That you can't change. Born a Tamil,
10:07that you can't change. So, I studied in Tamil year 1 to 12. Okay. So, I didn't study in any
10:17other language. So, I have this Tamil language in the house, we talk Tamil. Okay. I played for
10:25Tamil Union Athletic Club. First class cricket. Right. Right. And I married from South India,
10:31a Tamil Hindu family. What else I have to prove on Tamil? What more can I do to prove my Tamilness?
10:39Go and say, I am Tamil. So, the political people has to make sure that they are vicious and vicious
10:46in the table or however negotiate and get it their thing. You know, popular figures like I,
10:53we are popular in cricket. So, we should not be involved in that. Yeah. Just don't, yeah,
10:57keep the politics aside. I mean, the game is not. See, the game does not have no religion. Sports
11:03in the world will unite people. It's not divide. Yes. So, the expectation to divide. Right.
11:12I am not for that. Okay. Interesting, when you were making this movie, Vijay Sethupathi was
11:17supposed to lead the movie. But due to backlash, you wrote and said, why don't you step down?
11:22You said, as an actor, you don't have to get into this. This is my battle. That's what your words
11:27were. Do you think that was a great thing? To have a bankable actor, I mean, as a person who's
11:33covered movies, I can't tell you the importance of star power. Like, even if it's a crappy movie,
11:38sometimes because of the star power. So, see, for me is, see, directors and producers want to
11:45take the movie because of my story, such as the world should know. Not because otherwise they
11:51will come and take every cricket, you know. Why they choose me? So, different reason. So,
11:55they are not expecting to make profit or anything. They want to make a good movie. So,
11:59they thought Vijay Sethupathi is a great actor and his face and everything can matches me.
12:05So, and also his one timing and everything. So, he's a great actor. He would have helped a lot
12:11on the screen, like, you know, in, if he'd have known, he'd be a super hit, if he acted.
12:17Just the attention it needs. Yes. Attention created by the people,
12:20because he's a super actor. So, why I said this, at the time, they were, they were threatening him
12:25politically, some people, and threatening his family. And he has about six, seven movies
12:31signed. Their producers are upset because of these people can make problems there.
12:37So, I thought he wanted to do that in any cost. But I said to him, you just make sure that your
12:45career is important to us, rather than my movie. My movie, it will come. Some movie will come.
12:50Right. But it will, eventually it will come. It will be me.
12:53Me. But your career, it is, you're still starting. Time only started in the way, right?
13:00The poster was released. No, started his career also.
13:03Okay. In the early part. I'm talking about 2019.
13:07Yeah, yeah, yeah. Now it's five years gone, right? So.
13:10It's been five years. Yeah. So, that time he was, he was always,
13:16see, he's a good person. And I want him to do well in his, you know, to be a superstar in this.
13:22That's very selfless and very pragmatic. Yeah, you can. And also, he said, finally,
13:28he was so disappointed when he, when newspapers, when he's leaving the project, asked this,
13:33he said, he only said, vanakkam, nandri. That's it. And because he's so disappointed.
13:40Even today he's disappointed. Of course. I mean, I can imagine.
13:43And Madhu has done a really good job. Yes.
13:46Because he, if you see me in the movie. I saw it. I saw the trailers,
13:50the resemblances I'm carrying. Of course, of course.
13:52So, what I want you to say, he has done immensely. Because nobody can do that.
14:02Because of his bowling actions and my mannerism. Did he spend a lot of time?
14:08No, no, zero time. Oh, really? He looks a lot, I mean, even.
14:12Sripati have made him to watch movies and everything. Sripati has told my mannerisms.
14:17Sripati knows me two years. He was with me.
14:20He shadowed you for two years. Because he's the director.
14:24So, the director has given the point of mind to the actor, no? Actor will act according to that.
14:28Excellent. So, it's a combination. And also,
14:31this movie is, good people have done, like Adi Rajasekhar, he's a cinematographer, he's excellent.
14:37Then Chabran's music. So, Praveen's editing.
14:43It's a costly movie. Yes.
14:45But I know a fact, I have a fact, because in theatres, you know, people doesn't have leisure
14:52time. So, when you come to a big actors like, you know, Rajinikanth, Vijay, like, you know,
14:56in Tamil, I'm saying Shah Rukh Khan, people, there is a movie buff will go.
15:02Yes, by default, by their default. This is a great movie. So, this one will
15:09run also in theatres, but it will run in OTT, bigger than anything else.
15:13Yes, of course. Brilliant. I really hope, have you read the reviews? I hope the reviews have
15:17been positive. But the review wise, this is the best movie came, last one week or two weeks.
15:23No other movie is better review than. Everyone who watched the movie, they gave full of praise,
15:30because even I was shocked. Because I didn't think they will take this well. And you have to,
15:36today when you speak to in the out of that people and ask, once you finish, ask few questions,
15:42whether how good it is or whatever, what do you think, the emotions and everything,
15:46definitely you will get the answer. Oh, brilliant. On that note, I really hope
15:49the movie does well, because at the end of the day, it should be seen by maximum number of people.
15:56To be enjoyed as a community. I love UAE and Gulf country,
16:00because it will be coming for last 20 years. So, specially made for this because of,
16:05I did in India. Yes, and you chose UAE as well. I'm so glad.
16:10UAE is like my third home. Sri Lanka is first and second is India,
16:17then third home. So, UAE, I know a lot of people, a lot of friends and also I have business here.
16:25Recently, I got the residency visa also. Golden visa as well.
16:28No, not golden. I didn't apply for golden. I eventually two year that visa, the residency
16:33visa, because we have a company here. So, we did that and future maybe, because this is a place
16:39like, whatever said and done, when you come, it's like a home and it's like a lovely place.
16:45Every year somehow, I will make it two or three times here.
16:48Excellent. I'm so glad. Do not stop coming because there's an army of people who love you.