Kamal Haasan Faces Backlash in Karnataka Over "Kannada Born from Tamil" Remark

Veteran actor and politician Kamal Haasan has sparked a major controversy in Karnataka following his statement at the audio launch of his upcoming film Thug Life in Chennai on May 24, where he claimed that “Kannada was born out of Tamil.” The remark has ignited widespread outrage among pro-Kannada groups and political leaders, leading to protests and a police complaint filed against the actor.

Key Highlights:

Kamal Haasan’s “Kannada born from Tamil” remark ignites backlash in Karnataka, sparking protests and police complaints

Pro-Kannada groups demand apology and threaten film bans, as political leaders slam Haasan for “insulting” Kannada heritage

Haasan defends his words as “historical love,” but tensions rise ahead of Thug Life release amid growing boycott calls

The Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV), a group that fiercely supports Kannada culture, led by Praveen Shetty, didn’t hold back. They filed a police complaint against Haasan at Bengaluru’s RT Nagar station on Wednesday, saying his words were an insult to Kannada’s rich history and stirred up tension between Kannada and Tamil communities. “We have received the complaint, but no FIR has been registered yet. We are seeking legal opinion,” the complaint said, pushing for legal action. A police official confirmed they got the complaint but said they’re still checking with legal experts before moving forward.

Haasan dropped the comment while talking to Kannada actor Shivarajkumar at the event, saying, “My life and my family is Tamil language… Your language (Kannada) was born out of Tamil, so you are included in that line.” That didn’t go over well. Soon, protests flared up in places like Bengaluru, Mysuru, Belagavi, and Hubballi. Some folks even tore down Thug Life posters and swore to boycott Haasan’s movies. KRV’s T.A. Narayana Gowda was clear: “He needs to apologize, or his films won’t play here.”

Karnataka’s Chief Minister Siddaramaiah chimed in, saying, “Kannada has a long-standing history. Poor Kamal Haasan, he is unaware of it.” BJP leader BY Vijayendra called the remark “cocky” and demanded an apology too. Haasan, speaking later in Thiruvananthapuram, tried to smooth things over, saying his comment came from “a place of love” and was about historical language connections. . “Politicians, including me, are not qualified to discuss language matters. Let’s leave it to historians and linguists,” he said, standing his ground.

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This whole mess has sparked a heated debate about language pride in South India. Tamil Nadu folks are backing Haasan, pointing to shared Dravidian roots, but Karnataka’s Film Chamber of Commerce is now talking about possibly banning his films, making things tense as Thug Life’s release nears.