'Won't Apologise': Kamal Haasan On Controversial Kannada Remark; Shivarajkumar Responds To Language Row
The veteran actor has clarified that his remark that sparked controversy was an "expression of love"
Actor-politician Kamal Haasan has now come out with a clarification on his statement that sparked controversy. During a the audio launch of Mani Ratnam's upcoming Thug Life the actor said, "Tamil gave birth to Kannada," which caused swift backlash from people in Karnataka.
Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV), a pro-Kannada group filed a formal complaint against the actor seeking legal action. The KRV also demanded an apology from the actor for hurting their sentiments.
Fans issued threats of boycott and held protests in Belagavi and Bengaluru. Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah said, “Kannada language has a very long history... he (Kamal Haasan) doesn’t know.”
Pro-Kannada groups demanded an apology from Kamal Haasan even as they held protests in Bengaluru and Belagavi against the actor for hurting the Kannada sentiments. Angry fans on social media threatened to boycott the movie, set to release on June 05, 2025. Addressing the row, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah told reporters that “Kannada language has a very long history... he (Kamal Haasan) doesn’t know.” The Karnataka BJP president B.Y. Vijayendra called the actor's remarks “uncultured” and condemned the “insulting” insinuations of the statement.
Haasan clarified that his statement was being misconstrued. He said that the people “have confused the issue.” He added, “My statement was said out of love.”
Commenting on the sensitive topic of linguistic history, Haasan stressed that political leaders are not "qualified" to weigh in. “They don’t have the education to talk about it, including me. Let’s leave the discussions to historians, language experts, and archeologists,” he said. “As for Thug Life and Kamal Haasan, the public will handle it.”
Addressing the stir his previous remarks caused, Haasan clarified, “It was a statement of love to Mr Shivanna (Kannada star Shivarajkumar). His father (Dr Rajkumar) is like my father. We are a family, and so are the other languages.”
Kannada star Shivarajkumar spoke in support of Haasan by saying, “Kamal Haasan holds Kannada in high regard. He has only good things to tell about Bengaluru as well.”
He elaborated on the layered nature of language identity. “If you look at it from the Northern point of view, what they say is right. If you look at it from Thenkumari, then what I say is right. There is a third angle to it, that’s where the language experts come into play. They will say both the parties are right but ‘they must decide where they want to belong, with their family or with the languages that came from the North’. It’s up to the people. It’s a democratic country.”
The superstar went on to describe Tamil Nadu as an inclusive state. “A Menon, a Reddy and a Kannadiga Iyengar hailing from Mandya have become chief ministers in Tamil Nadu. When there was a problem in Chennai, which came from that chief minister who hailed from Karnataka, it was Karnataka who gave me support. The Kannadigas said ‘come, we will give you a house. Don’t go anywhere’.”
Wrapping up, Haasan said, “This is not an answer. It’s an explanation. Love will never apologise.”
Thug Life also stars Trisha, Silambarasan TR, Ashok Selvan, and Joju George.