Kamal Haasan Comments at Thug Life Event Sparks Tamil - Kannada Language Row
Kamal Haasan is not new to controversies. During the promotional event of Thug Life, the legendary actor sparked a row when he commented on Trisha's inability to speak Tamil. The exchange prompted fans to comment on how the situation would have been perceived if any other actor had made a similar remark. With Trisha also seemingly taking it in a light-hearted way, the controversy didn't spill further.
Now, the actor is making headlines once again due to his comments at the Thug Life audio launch. In a speech that's driven by emotions, Kamal Haasan talked at length about his love for cinema and how grateful he was to have actors who challenge him to act even better.
Thanking Kannada superstar Shiva Rajkumar for taking time to attend the event, Kamal Haasan sparked a different controversy altogether. "Kannada has originated from Tamil. The people who stay here are my family. That's why he (Shiva Rajkumar) has come here. Since your language has also come from Tamil, you are also part of Tamil Nadu," Kamal said to Shiva Rajkumar, and this irked Kannada people.
Reacting to Kamal's comments, Twitter has been asking the actor for an apology over his statements. Karnataka Rakshana Vedike declared that if the legendary actor doesn't apologize, they will ban all his movies in the land of Karnataka. Shiva Rajkumar has not yet released a statement regarding this issue, and it will be fascinating to observe how this situation will affect him. The box-office receipts of Thug Life in South India remain unchanged.
Kamal's comments have not only drawn criticism from the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike but have also turned political, as state BJP President Vijayendra Yediyurappa lashed out at the actor. "Kamal Haasan doesn't have culture. He insulted Kannada. It's good to love your mother tongue, but it's not right to insult other languages. Having acted in multiple Indian languages, including Kannada, Kamal praised Tamil in his speech, but making Shiva Rajkumar part of Tamil is an insult to the language." Yediyurappa declared that Kamal Haasan is arrogant in the end.
Well, there is intrigue surrounding Kamal Haasan's response to the whole saga.
Kamal Haasan says Kannada came from Tamil
Hello @ikamalhaasan before making such claims, learn some real history. This land doesn’t need language lessons from Periyar fanatics🤡
Kannada has a history spanning over 2,000 years, one of the world’s oldest living languages, with… pic.twitter.com/BQFUloI0Sg
— Akshay Akki ಅಕ್ಷಯ್🇮🇳 (@FollowAkshay1) May 27, 2025
