Actor Sivakumar said in his statement that selfies should not invade the privacy of celebrities or socialites.

Veteran Tamil actor Sivakumar incurred the wrath of twitterati after a video of him slapping the phone out of a fan’s hand went viral on Monday. In response to the backlash, Sivakumar issued a statement on Tuesday clarifying his actions and also apologising to his fans.

Criticised for his unwarranted reaction to a fan who wanted to take a seflie, the actor said in his statement that selfies should not invade the privacy of celebrities or socialites. He added that they too deserved privacy and respect.

“It (the incident) happened from the moment I stepped out of the car and walked into the venue that was occupied by 200-300 people. I felt little disappointed to see around 20-25 people clicking selfies by pushing the volunteers and guards who accompanied me there,” he said.

The actor feels that it is a courtesy to request for a photo instead of clicking away selfies. “A celebrity cannot be treated or taken for granted as a public property. I am someone who has never hesitated to take photos at an airport or any gatherings with hundreds and thousands of people,” he mentioned.

செல்போன் தட்டிவிட்ட பிரச்னை. சிவகுமார் அவர்கள் வருத்தம். #ActorSivakumar pic.twitter.com/QZSREx18Nk

— Johnson PRO (@johnsoncinepro) October 30, 2018

Sivakumar reiterated that he is, after all, a normal person like everyone else and requested everyone to reflect on how a deed might impact others. “I am not requesting anyone to accept me as their leader or inspiring hero. Everyone is a hero in their own lives with their own ideologies, but at the same time, we should think at least for a while on how some of our deeds might affect others,” Sivakumar said.

Following this statement, Sivakumar posted a video on Twitter conveying his heartfelt apologies to fans and said that he deeply regretted his action.