Leonardo DiCaprio is much in the news lately for essaying the role of Persian poet Rumi. The actor who has given credible performances in the films ‘The Revenant’ and ‘The Aviator’ was the makers’ choice for playing Rumi.
The biopic on Rumi is being executed by David Franzoni and producer Stephen Joel Brown. The two talented stars in an interview had confessed that Leonardo DiCaprio is their first choice for playing Rumi. This news has created a furor amongst the masses. Many people have signed a petition for not casting Leonardo DiCaprio as the protagonist for the biopic of Rumi.
The petitioners claim that the makers of the biopic should cast someone who is a Middle Eastern to portray the character and not a white man. The petitioners have expressed that Muslim actors are not given positive roles and the makers typecast them only as negatives. They have termed the stated as Hollywood whitewashing.
Valerie Janovic who started the petition stated that if Leonardo is cast as Rumi it will rewrite the history and take the possession of Muslim accomplishments and give all the credit to a white man. He also added that when people will think of Rumi they will picture him with pale skin, blond hair and blue eyes.
It is also being said that the petitioners are claiming that Muslim actors are readily accepted and type cast as terrorists but when it comes to doing positive roles they are pushed off at a side to make room for a white actor.
It is reported that the makers of the biopic have not yet approached the actor and Leonardo DiCaprio might not even take this up!
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