‘You may be Kamal Haasan but can’t hurt sentiments…’: Karnataka High Court raps actor over Kannada language remarks
The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday rapped actor and MNM chief Kamal Haasan for his controversial remarks that “Kannada was born out of Tamil”. While hearing a petition seeking a direction to authorities not to take any measures to restrain the actor’s film from being released, the court said, “You may be Kamal Haasan or anybody, you cannot hurt the sentiments of the masses.”
“There is no apology in it. You may be Kamal Haasan or anybody, you cannot hurt the sentiments of the masses. The division of this country is on linguistic lines. A public figure cannot make such statements. What has happened because of it is unrest, disharmony. People of Karnataka only asked for an apology. Now you come here seeking protection,” the court said, according to a LiveLaw report.
Questioning Haasan’s expertise in making the statement, the court said, “On what basis have you made the statement, are you a historian, linguist. On what basis did you speak? (sic)”
Haasan’s remark that “Kannada was born out of Tamil” made at the audio release of his film ‘Thug Life’ in Chennai in the last week of May, stoked controversy and triggered protests in the neighbouring state.
With ‘Thug Life’ scheduled to hit the cinemas on 5 June, Kamal Haasan, who declined to tender an apology for “uttering the truth”, had moved the Karnataka High Court seeking a direction for the film release.
What the Karnataka HC said
While citing the example of Rajgopal Acharya, who had made a similar statement 75 years ago, the court said that just like Acharya had apologised, an apology from Haasan would have been appropriate instead of asking for protection for the release of his film.
The bench said, “You know the importance of the film, saying it is made by Mani Ratnam, but you cannot make a statement (Apology).”
“For your own creation, you want police machinery to support now. Language is a sentiment attached to the people. You are not an ordinary man, you are a public figure. People writing on social media are also being investigated,” the court added.
The court further said, “Fundamental right of speech and expression cannot be stretched to hurt sentiments of the masses.”
Why did Haasan petition Karnataka HC
Anticipating disruption in the release of his upcoming movie, Haasan on Monday approached the Karnataka High Court seeking urgent intervention for the smooth release of the film and adequate security at theatres planning to show it. The movie is scheduled for release on 5 June.
Haasan’s move follows the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) announcement of a boycott of the film unless the actor publicly apologises for his recent remark that “Kannada language originated from Tamil”.
According to a PTI report, in a writ petition filed by Haasan’s production house Raaj Kamal Films International, the actor requested the high court to restrain any individual, group, or authority—including the KFCC and state officials—from obstructing the screening of the film in Karnataka. The petition also sought police protection for the film’s cast, crew, theatre owners, and audiences, citing potential threats of disruption.
Meanwhile, speaking to PTI, KFCC president M Narasimhalu reiterated the Chamber’s stand. “Let Kamal Haasan go to court. We have not done anything illegal. But we will not allow the screening of ‘Thug Life’ in Karnataka unless he apologises,” Narasimhalu said.
What Haasan’s petition said
The movie’s producers maintained that Haasan’s remarks were taken out of context and intended to express cultural harmony between the people of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The petition said the statement was made during a cordial interaction with Kannada superstar Shiva Rajkumar, who also reportedly defended Haasan’s intent.
“The backlash has been unwarranted and based on a deliberate misinterpretation,” the petition added, asserting that the film’s release should not be held hostage to a misreading of the actor’s words, reported PTI.
There were also reports that the South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce had contacted Haasan to try to mediate the situation.
Thug Life, a high-profile film directed by the acclaimed Mani Ratnam, marks his second collaboration with Kamal Haasan after the cult classic Nayakan. The film features a star-studded cast including Trisha Krishnan and Silambarasan T R, with music composed by Oscar-winner AR Rahman. The estimated production budget is around ₹300 crore.
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