‘Rajinikanth, Amitabh Bachchan don’t know how to act’: Vettaiyan actor Alencier Ley Lopez drops bombshell

New Delhi: Rajinikanth and Amitabh Bachchan are revered as acting legends in the Indian film industry. However, Malayalam actor Alencier Ley Lopez has stirred controversy with a statement no one saw coming. While discussing his experience on the set of Vettaiyan, Alencier boldly claimed, “I realised Rajinikanth and Amitabh Bachchan don’t know how to act.”

For those who do not know, Vettaiyan is directed by TJ Gnanavel and backed by Lyca Productions and brings together Rajinikanth and Amitabh Bachchan on screen after 33 years. The film which revolves around encounter killings features Rajinikanth as a no-nonsense cop and Amitabh as a justice-driven lawyer. Alencier plays a judge in a crucial courtroom face-off between the two icons.

Alencier Ley Lopez takes a dig at Rajinikanth and Amitabh Bachchan

Speaking at a press event for his Malayalam film Narayaneente Moonnaanmakkal, Alencier shared his unexpected take on the acting styles of the two superstars. He admitted that he joined the project not for career prospects but simply to observe them in action. “I didn’t even get paid for it. They sent me a flight ticket to Mumbai, put me up in a five-star hotel and all I had to do was sit as a judge for one scene,” he revealed.

The Malayalam star didn’t hold back while critiquing the acting styles of the two mega stars. Taking a dig at Rajini’s over-the-top action sequences from the ’80s, he joked, “During my pre-degree days, I saw Rajini sir stopping the blades of a helicopter with his bare teeth. So, I wanted to see how he really acts in front of the camera.”

He described the Vettaiyan shoot, saying, “Rajini sir performed his signature style—his body language, his walk. Then Amitabh sir roared like a lion, and I had to look shocked. That’s when I realised I couldn’t compete. I don’t have a deep baritone, nor do I know stylised acting. I can only perform in films made by directors like Dileesh Pothan, Sharan Venugopal and Rajeev Ravi.”

Malayalam star drops bombshell

And then came the kicker: “I also realised that they cannot act.” Alencier knew his words would make headlines. In fact, he openly admitted it. “I know this will be in the news tomorrow. And yes, I’m aware this probably means my Tamil career is over,” he quipped.

This isn’t Alencier’s first brush with controversy. In 2023, he faced backlash for comments about a statuette at an awards function and was also accused of sexual misconduct by a co-actor from a 2017 film.