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Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce officials told News18 they are ready for talks if Kamal Haasan’s team approaches but the actor must first apologise for his remark on Kannada
Kamal Haasan reunites with Mani Ratnam in Thug Life after 38 years. Image/X
As actor-politician Kamal Haasan faces mounting backlash over his controversial claim that “Kannada was born out of Tamil” ahead of the release of his film Thug Life, the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) has made its stance clear: ready for talks, but not without an apology.
“We are ready to hold talks across the table if Kamal Haasan’s team comes to us. Let them come to us. They have caused immense hurt to us,” said M Narasimhalu, president of KFCC, speaking with News18. “But there is a need for an apology. He has hurt every single Kannadiga across the country with his statement.”
Narasimhalu added that the Karnataka High Court’s tough stance on the issue was “absolutely on point”, and the KFCC fully backed the HC’s observations. “If we don’t stand with the people of Karnataka, they will never forgive us,” he said.
His comments came after a high-level meeting of the KFCC with key industry stakeholders, following the court’s remarks slamming Haasan’s controversial statement at the Chennai audio launch of Thug Life, due for release on June 5.
‘We won’t be weak again’
Several voices within the Kannada film fraternity are seeking the KFCC to stand up and fight this out with a tougher posture compared to past controversies, especially those involving the prioritisation of Kannada films in theatres over other language movies, as well as ticketing for Kannada movies.
“There is a need for the film chamber to grow a spine–the one that supports the Kannada language completely,” advised acclaimed Kannada filmmaker T Nagabharana to the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce. He felt that even though the matter is in court and Kamal Haasan has written to the KFCC, the stand should be to ban the movie.
“They (KFCC) are driven by the rules of the Competition and Consumer Authority, but they should set an example by banning his movie. If the statement by Kamal Haasan was made on the spur of the moment and an apology was sought for something that was not true, then people would have forgiven him. What ensued later, and the arrogance that we see, is unpardonable,” said Nagabharana. “A lesson must be taught now or else there will be more such instances–and that cannot happen.”
“There were earlier instances when the chamber took a weaker stand,” said nationally acclaimed Kannada filmmaker P Sheshadri. “Whether it was ticket pricing, screening fatigue, or language preference, we compromised too often. But not this time.”
Sheshadri, who has won the National Award eight times for his films in Kannada, warned against silence. “If we do not firmly speak out now, Kamal’s statement will be perceived as the truth. Silence will become a huge loss for Kannada. We must dissent–peacefully, the way Kannadigas are known to–but clearly. Until there is an apology, this cannot be left alone.”
Sheshadri reiterated: “Kamal’s stand and his obstinacy are unacceptable. Why is he advocating for the film in Karnataka? Because he knows there is a huge market here, and they will benefit from the sales. Taking profits from us while hurting the sentiments of the people of the state–how is that right?” he asked.
Court to Kamal: ‘Are you a historian or a linguist?’
On Tuesday, the Karnataka High Court came down hard on Haasan during a hearing on a petition filed by Raaj Kamal Films International seeking protection for the release of Thug Life.
“You may be Kamal Haasan or anybody, you cannot hurt the sentiments of the masses,” said Justice M Nagaprasanna in open court. “The division of this country is on linguistic lines. A public figure cannot make such statements.”
The court questioned the actor’s refusal to apologise and said that such remarks, made without evidence, had led to “unrest and disharmony”.
“Are you a historian? A linguist? On what basis have you made such a statement?” Justice Nagaprasanna asked. “No language is born out of another. What is the evidence to support this claim?”
The judge invoked the emotional and historical weight of language for Kannadigas: “Jala, Nele, Bhashe (Water, Land, Language) are sacred to the people of this state. The reorganisation of Indian states was along linguistic lines. You cannot trivialise that.”
When Haasan’s lawyer claimed that his statement had been “misunderstood” and taken “out of context”, and cited the presence of Kannada superstar Shiva Rajkumar at the event as a sign of goodwill, the court remained unsympathetic.
“You want to earn crores from Karnataka, yet you refuse to say a simple sorry?” the judge asked. “Even ordinary citizens are held accountable for what they say. What makes you any different?”
Haasan’s team was reminded that even C Rajagopalachari had issued an apology for a similar remark decades ago. “If Rajagopalachari could apologise 75 years ago, why can’t Kamal Haasan today?” the court asked.
‘Taking profits, but hurting our pride?’
Back in the industry, the mood is angry.
“What is Kamal advocating for with this film in Karnataka?” asked a seething Sheshadri. “Because he knows there’s a huge market here, and they’ll benefit from the sales. So you take profits from us while hurting the sentiments of our people? How is that right?”
A senior Kannada actor and theatre artist who has worked in multiple Indian languages and is a national award winner, requesting anonymity, expressed his annoyance on the matter.
The actor threw a sharp linguistic punch: “The whole debate itself is inane. Kamal once tried to divide India with this Aryan vs Dravidian argument. Now he’s dividing Dravidians themselves. Kannada has 56 letters, Tamil has only 28. What does that mean? So what exactly did we ‘take’ to be derived? And what did they (Tamil) ‘lose’?”
While scholars point out that both scripts ultimately trace their evolution from Brahmi, they emphasise that academic research on the origins of Indian languages is meant to inform, not assert superiority.
“It is misguided to say one language ‘came out of’ another,” said a senior Kannada CTO who did not want to be named. “Languages like Tamil and Kannada evolve,d and there is neither superior nor inferior in this. The idea should be to promote unity among sister languages, not competition.”
Speaking to News18, Kannada author and Kannada Development Authority (KDA) chairperson Purushotam Bilimale explained the origin of Kannada and Tamil.
Purushotam said, “The relationship between Kannada, Tamil and Telugu is of sisters, not of mother and daughters. Kannada was not born out of Tamil, but people keep asserting it to establish their language supremacy. That is the politics they play around language.”
He said around 4,000 years ago, the five Dravidian languages were a single language–proto-Dravidian.
“However, we don’t have sufficient evidence to establish which language grew independently with an exact date. For instance, Tulu does not have a script, so we cannot establish under whose rule or when it grew as an independent language. We cannot rely on oral tradition to reconstruct it. However, there are similarities between words–for example, Kannu (eyes) is used in Tamil, Tulu, Kannada, Telugu and Malayalam.”
Among all the Dravidian languages, Kannada is the only one influenced by several other languages, and is the most modern.
“Why does Kannada have eight Jnanpith awards and Tamil only two? Because we are more modern and all-encompassing. Languages grow; Tamil has been more rigid. It is not about who is superior, inferior or derived from whom–it is about safeguarding all languages and preserving them in their true sense,” he said.
The KDA chairman added that significant research on Dravidian languages was done by colonial scholar Robert Caldwell, and institutions like Annamalai University and the Dravidian Language Centre have contributed immensely.
“Currently, there are 130 languages identified under the Dravidian umbrella. Earlier, we identified five–Tamil, Tulu, Kannada, Telugu and Malayalam–as ‘pancha Dravidian’ languages. Now, a lot of research is being done on tribal languages as well,” he said. “Though not firmly established, it is believed that people from the Harappan and Mohenjo-daro cultures spoke a Dravidian language. This is based on the discovery of the Pashupati symbol, which scholars associate with Shiva–a symbol of Dravidian culture. After the fall of Harappa and Mohenjo-daro, people migrated across the Indian subcontinent.”
Purushotam also noted that a Dravidian language, Brahui, is still spoken in parts of Iran, Afghanistan, and Balochistan. He said migration took people to regions including Bengal, Odisha, Andhra, Tamil Nadu and the Deccan Plateau.
“It is believed Tamil separated first from proto-Dravidian and is one of the oldest languages, but it is not the proto-language itself. Tulu was the second to separate. Kannada grew independently around the 2nd century CE. It got its script from Brahmi, spread by Buddhists and Jains. For instance, the Halmidi inscription from 450 CE shows similarities with Brahmi, including words like Avana, Avalu,” he said.
Telugu evolved as an independent language around the 9th–10th centuries CE, and Malayalam gained individual identity in the 11th century.
Kamal’s ‘regret’ falls short
In a letter to the KFCC dated June 3, Haasan offered a carefully worded explanation but stopped short of an outright apology.
The KDA chairman asked why Kamal couldn’t simply say he apologises. “Even if he says he withdraws the statement, that would be enough.”
He also advised Kamal that if there is so much debate, “why doesn’t he discuss with linguistic experts at Anna University in Chennai to understand the etymology before making such statements?”
“Kamal needs to put an end to this controversy across the country,” he said. “If he withdraws his statement, Kamal will command more respect, not lose any.”
What Kamal said in his letter to KFCC
“I acknowledge your letter of 3 June, 2025. Out of deep respect for the people of Karnataka, I offer the following with sincerity. It pains me that my statement at the Thug Life audio launch, spoken out of genuine affection for the legendary Dr Rajkumar’s family, especially Shivaraj Kumar, has been misunderstood and taken out of context…”
“Like Tamil, Kannada has a proud literary and cultural tradition that I have long admired. Throughout my career, I have cherished the warmth and affection extended to me by the Kannada-speaking community, and I say this with a clear conscience and conviction. My love for the language is genuine, and I have great respect for the love that Kannadigas have for their mother tongue. My bond with Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, and all languages of this land is abiding and heartfelt. I have always stood for the equal dignity of all Indian languages and remain opposed to the dominance of any one language over another. As such, imbalance undermines the linguistic fabric of the Union of India. I know and speak the language of cinema. Cinema is a universal language that knows only love and bonding. My statement was also only to establish that bond and unity amongst all of us.”
What the petition says
In court, Raaj Kamal Films International claimed Haasan’s statement had been misquoted and distorted online, leading to the unrest. The petition sought protection for Thug Life’s release, citing freedom of expression and business rights under Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution.
The production house argued the film had received all CBFC approvals and warned of serious losses and safety concerns if disruptions occurred.
But the court appeared unconvinced. “You created the circumstances,” said Justice Nagaprasanna. “Now you want the state’s machinery to protect your commercial venture?”
Still time for a course correction?
With Thug Life set to release on June 5, it has now been pushed to a later date as the court case will be heard next on June 10. Tensions are at a boiling point.
“There is still time to correct course,” said a filmmaker. “Say sorry–genuinely–and restore the peace. If not, the wound will only deepen.”
“Kamal has thrown a small stone into the sea, and the waves have been created,” said the KDA chairman. “Now it is up to him not to create a tsunami…”
Rohini Swamy, Associate Editor at News18, has been a journalist for nearly two decades in the television and digital space. She covers south India for News18’s digital platform. She has previously worked with t…Read More
Rohini Swamy, Associate Editor at News18, has been a journalist for nearly two decades in the television and digital space. She covers south India for News18’s digital platform. She has previously worked with t… Read More
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