800: Muttiah Muralitharan on his biopic & his bond with Indian cricket players

Like many players, former Sri Lankan cricketer, Muttiah Muralitharan also now has his biopic, 800. But unlike most biopics, 800 does not just focus on one player and his goals. The title, 800, is a tribute to the wickets he earned during his cricket career, but the movie tells the story of not just a man, but an entire community and a country, and how the geopolitical tension shaped his life. 

During an exclusive chat with WION, actor Madhur Mittal and the cricketer revealed more details. 

So Madhur, from playing a Punjabi child in Shaka Laka Boom Boom, to a rogue in Slumdog Millionaire and now a cricket player in 800. You have enjoyed quite the range.

Madhur Mittal: I have been lucky, although I haven't done too much work. Actors are rated on their versatility, and despite such a short number of films I have managed to explore a lot of characters. I have been given all these different opportunities and it has culminated into this fantastic character that I am going to play in 800. I am very grateful. 

800 isn't just an ordinary biopic. It involves the story of a country. So what were the script-reading sessions like? 

Muttiah Muralitharan: I didn't do anything extraordinary, I only made sure that it remains a true story. I did not join the script reading sessions. Even when they were shooting, I just went once when they were shooting near my parents' house. The first time I met Madhur was when I was told that he was locked for the role. I spoke with him briefly when I went to Chennai. I told him not to be nervous, not to copy me but to be yourself. After that, I met him during the trailer launch. My involvement was not too much, I just gave permission and freedom to the cast and crew. This movie managed to battle all odds. It paused due to COVID-19, and then Sri Lanka started facing a financial crisis.

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Madhur Mittal: My acting sessions and script reading sessions were dramatically different from that of Slumdog Millionaire or Shaka Laka Boom Boom. When you are playing a real-life character, someone who is as legendary as sir, (pointing at Muralitharan), there's a lot of pressure in getting it right. With my director,  we shared our visions and what we wanted to achieve through this film. One thing was for certain, was that we just didn't want this film to be a mimicry, but go beyond that. This movie is so much more than just a sports film, this is a human story, and it has character study. There is an incredible arch that not just the character goes through, but the entire community, and the country. There's a lot of layers to it. Even sir gave me that brief. One can't reduce such an incredible life with just actions and expressions. So, we worked on the depth of the movie. 

The former Indian cricket players, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Anil Kumble and Virender Sehwag have all come out and shown their support for the film. What were your off-the-field conversations like? What kind of bond did you share with the Indian cricket team? 

Muttiah Muralitharan: We were opponents on the cricket field but outside that we were all very good friends. We have been playing for decades. They have helped me a lot previously too. I have a charity organisation where many members of the cricketing fraternity have come and played matches to raise funds. Indian players feel a lot for other people. 

While shooting the movie, and reading the script, what remained the toughest role in bringing out the reality? 

Madhur Mittal: The funny thing is no one was really aware of it until I was locked for the film. Nearly eight years ago, I had a really bad car crash, after which my arms got bent. Even sir, (Muralitharan) has naturally bent elbows, which becomes slightly difficult to emulate. It is difficult to replicate his actions, and it was the toughest part to get that right. But because I had naturally bent elbows, I hope I was able to do a better job. 

Muttiah Muralitharan: It was such a turbulence to make this movie, just like my life. It was one heck of a rollercoaster ride. It took five years to complete the movie and unlike people in my life, people on sets were not negative. I would urge everyone to come and watch the movie then they will understand how to be a champion and how to overcome obstacles in your life. I hope the audience really enjoy this movie. 

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