Muttiah Muralitharan's official statement on '800' controversy

Colombo (News 1st): Various views have been made on the making of "800"; the real-life story of Sri Lankan Cricketer - Muttiah Muralitharan, regarded by some, the best bowler to have ever played the game. A group of South Indian filmmakers have voiced their opposition against the film and Muttiah Muralitharan himself has responded to it by releasing a statement. The lead role of the film will be played by South Indian Superstar - Wijay Sedupathi. A group of South Indian filmmakers have alleged that Sedupathi should retire from acting. In a statement, the same group of South Indian filmmakers have said that Muttiah Muralitharan has aided Sri Lankan politicians and he has no affection towards Tamils. Meanwhile, Muralitharan has issued a statement with the hope of putting an end to the current controversial situation. In his statement, he has said that he has been through many obstacles to get to where he is now and he has surpassed many obstacles in his private life as well as in his career. Adding further he has said that he was quite reluctant to the proposal of the production of the movie and that all his world records in Cricket belong to many people in his life. His statement further notes that he said yes to the film only if the film gives equal importance to his parents, his teachers, coaches and his fellow teammates who helped him in his career. According to his statement, Muralitharan says that their parents started off as tea estate workers and it was the Indian Migrants who worked at tea estates who were impacted the most in the 30-year-old War. Muttiah Muralitharan said that he and his family were extremely helpless and battered from the attacks took place against the Tamils in the 70s, at the time of the Black July and from the bomb attacks that took place afterwards. Muralitharan's statement further adds that his father sustained injuries from attackers when he was 7 years old, several of his relatives were murdered and there was a countless number of times where they had to leave their home due to unemployment. Citing all these incidents, Murali says that he perfectly knows the pain and the sorrow of war. Murali points out that his life revolved around the 30-year-old War in Sri Lanka and him being selected to the National Cricket Team amidst those troubling times is depicted through this latest Indian film tilted "800"