'Stop Selling Hate': Siddharth Criticises Nawazuddin Siddiqui's Thackeray

The trailer of Thackeray, based on the life of Shiv Sena founder, late Bal Thackeray, has stirred row over its controversial dialogues. Actor Siddharth has slammed the trailer for referring South Indians in a derogatory manner.

Shortly after the trailer released, Siddharth took to Twitter to express his displeasure and call out the “hate speech” in the movie.

He posted: “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!"

In another tweet, he wrote: “Poetic justice is when a Muslim actor from UP gets to play the part of the revered Marathi bigot in a propaganda film.”

Quoting the link of the trailer, Siddharth also accused the film of selling “so much hate with such romance and heroism.”

Thackeray, starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui, is also courting controversy with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) which has objected to three dialogues in the movie, scripted and produced by senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut.

Of the three dialogues, two are related to Thackeray's reference to South Indians and Babri Masjid. But setting the stage for a faceoff, Raut has declared that he won’t make any changes or cuts to the movie.

“Just like Balasaheb was controversial, but his thoughts gave direction to the country, the movie on Balasaheb too will be like that. We will show what he was like. This is not a love story. There will be no cuts or changes,” he told News18.

Thackeray, who was known for his highly provocative and controversial statements, had targeted South Indians in the late 1960s, accusing them of snatching away jobs from the Maharashtra youth. The Censor Board has objected to its reference in the film.

Follow @news18movies for more