The Karnataka High Court has advised actor-politician Kamal Haasan to issue a public apology for his controversial statement claiming that “Kannada was born out of Tamil.”
The remark, made during the audio launch of his upcoming film Thug Life, drew sharp criticism from Kannada groups and led the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) to impose a ban on the filmâs release in the state.
In response, Kamal Haasanâs production company, Raaj Kamal Films International, moved the High Court seeking protection to ensure the smooth release of Thug Life in Karnataka. During the hearing, the court observed that Kamal Haasanâs remarks had hurt sentiments and suggested that an apology could help resolve the matter amicably. The bench reportedly told Haasanâs counsel that âif he doesnât apologize, then donât seek protection.â
Despite the controversy, Kamal Haasan has maintained that his comment was not intended to offend. He stated, âIf Iâm wrong, Iâll apologize. If Iâm not, I wonât.â His party, Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), has stood by him, putting up posters across Chennai bearing messages such as âLove will never apologiseâ and âTruth will never bow its head.â
The debate over the linguistic comment has added tension ahead of the filmâs release, with many urging Haasan to take a conciliatory approach. Meanwhile, Thug Life, directed by Mani Ratnam and starring Kamal Haasan in the lead, remains one of the most awaited Tamil films of the year.
The court has reserved further directions pending the actorâs response, as the filmâs producers continue efforts to resolve the ban and ensure its statewide release.