The Karnataka High Court has slammed actor Kamal Haasan for his recent comment that “Kannada was born out of Tamil,” saying it has hurt the sentiments of Kannadigas. The court’s remarks came while hearing a petition seeking directions to authorities to ban Haasan’s film “Thug Life” in the state.
According to a report by Bar and Bench, the controversy began when Haasan commented on a promotional event for “Thug Life” in Chennai, sparking widespread criticism across political lines. The Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) subsequently declared that the film would not be screened in Karnataka unless Haasan apologized for his remark.
The court, led by Single-judge Justice M Nagaprasanna, questioned Haasan’s basis for making the statement, asking if he was a historian or linguist. The court emphasized that no citizen has the right to hurt sentiments and that language is a sentiment attached to a particular people.
“No citizen has the right to hurt sentiments. Jala, Nila, Bashe – these three things are important to citizens….Language is a sentiment attached to a particular people. You have said something to undermine that,” the Court stated.
The KFCC president, M Narasimhalu, stated that the controversy has moved beyond cinema, saying, “If he doesn’t apologize, Thug Life won’t run in Karnataka.” Several Kannada groups and language activists have also urged Haasan to retract his statement and apologize publicly.
“If a public figure makes a statement like this. No language can be born out of another – where is the material? And what has happened – disharmony. And what have the people of Karnataka asked? (Only) An apology. The circumstances were created by Kamal Haasan, and he has said he won’t apologise. You have undermined the sentiments of the people of Karnataka… On what basis? Are you a historian or a linguist?” the Court demanded.
Meanwhile, Haasan has refused to back down, stating, “It is a democracy. I believe in law and justice. My love for Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala is true.” The court, however, seems inclined to agree with the petitioners, suggesting that an apology from Haasan could diffuse the situation.
The court’s remarks suggest that Haasan’s apology could pave the way for the smooth release of “Thug Life” in Karnataka. The film’s co-producer, Raajkamal Films International, has argued that Haasan’s statement was misquoted and taken out of context, and that his remarks were meant to express love and camaraderie between the people of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
