Sathyaraj refutes reports of PM Modi biopic, puts forth condition to play the role 

Sathyaraj

A couple of days back it was reported that senior actor Sathyaraj, popularly now for essaying Kattappa in 'Baahubali', has been roped to play PM Modi in a biographical drama. Now the actor has denied the rumours and made his stance clear on what will make him do such a film. The actor was speaking to the press in Chennai at the pre-release event of 'Mazhai Pidikatha Manithan' on Wednesday. The actor sarcastically said that if the film had been directed by his friend and late director Manivannan, he would have worked on it. The late director was a follower of the anti-caste icon Periyar.

The reports of Sathyaraj playing PM Modi in his biopic had made national headlines and left fans of the actor amused. Sathyaraj is a vocal critic of the right-wing government and is a staunch supporter of Periyar. He often dons a black shirt, a symbol of protest synonymous with Periyarists.

He clarified, "Nobody has approached me [to play the role of Modi]. Even if they do … I may have acted in it if it were directed by my friend late director Manivannan who used to show characters ‘as they were'."

The actor said that he would act in the film only if it is made truthfully. In the same vein, he said that he would act in it even if 'Mazhai Pidikatha Manithan' director Vijay Milton directed it without any propaganda. He said that he would also be okay with the film if it is made by popular anti-caste Tamil filmmakers like Pa. Ranjith, Vetrimaaran, and Mari Selvaraj.

The news about Sathyaraj playing PM Modi 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."

The news had 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.