19 May,2024 09:18 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Sathyaraj
Veteran Tamil actor Sathyaraj gained nationwide popularity with his role as Kattappa in SS Rajamouli's 'Baahubali' back when it was released in 2015. Now, one hears that the actor is set to be playing in the biopic of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The reports began to surface on Saturday.
The news began to make the rounds when popular entertainment industry tracker Ramesh Bala wrote on X (formerly Twitter), "Veteran actor @Sathyaraj to act as #NarendraMofi in honourable PM #NarendraModi biopic." More details are awaited.
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The news has broken in the midst of the Lok Sabha elections. During the previous Lok Sabha elections, the first biopic on PM Modi starring Vivek Oberoi was released. Despite controversy around the timing of the film's release, the film failed to make an impression and crashed at the box office.
Sathyaraj is an actor who predominantly works in Tamil cinema. He has also appeared in Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi language films. Among his popular work in Hindi is as Deepika Padukone's father in Rohit Shetty's 'Chennai Express', which was released a year before 'Baahubali'.
He started his career in antagonistic roles and later played lead roles. He met with success through lead performances in Vedham Pudhithu (1987), Nadigan (1990), Amaidhi Padai (1994), Periyar (2007) and Onbadhu Roobai Nottu (2007). He also received acclaim for supporting roles in Nanban (2012), Raja Rani (2013), Baahubali (2015), Baahubali 2 (2017) and Kanaa (2018). He was also the director of the film Villadhi Villain (1995), starring himself in three different roles.
Previously, in 2007, Sathyaraj had essayed the role of Tamil leader Periyar in his biopic. A look at the life of social reformer and rationalist Periyar E. V. Ramasamy, who fought against Brahminical dominance and gender and caste inequality in Tamil Nadu, India.
With the announcement of the Modi biopic starring Sathyaraj, some netizens commented that it is a betrayal to Periyar whose ideology differs from the ruling party.
