Kamal Haasan clarifies his controversial statement through a letter to KFCC president amid the ‘Thug Life’ release threat: “It pains me that my statement…” | Tamil Movie News
Actor-politician Kamal Haasan has issued a clarifying letter to Narasimhalu, the President of the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce, in light of the growing controversy around his comments at the Thug Life audio launch. His statement claiming that the Kannada language originated from Tamil sparked backlash from various Kannada groups and political circles, who called it historically inaccurate and culturally insensitive. The comment led to protests and demands for a public apology, with some theatres and distributors in Karnataka deciding to stall the release of ‘Thug Life.’Kamal Haasan expresses pain over misinterpretationIn his letter, Kamal Haasan expressed disappointment that his remarks were misinterpreted. “It pains me that my statement has been misunderstood, despite being spoken with genuine intent,” the Thug Life actor wrote. He also underscored that there is no contention over the proud legacy of Kannada. “Like Tamil, Kannada too has a rich literary and cultural tradition,” he affirmed, noting that he holds both languages and cultures in high esteem. The letter appeared to be an attempt to address hurt sentiments and defuse the brewing tensions between the Kannada film fraternity and his production team.Karnataka High Court questions Kamal Haasan’s language claimThe controversy took a legal turn when Kamal Haasan’s production house, Raaj Kamal Films International, approached the Karnataka High Court seeking relief against the unofficial ban. In a pointed remark during the hearing, the High Court questioned Kamal’s authority on linguistic history, asking, “Are you a historical or language specialist? On what basis did you say Kannada came from Tamil?” The court further advised that a sincere apology would help resolve the matter smoothly.All eyes are on reconciliation as ‘Thug Life’ nears releaseWith the film scheduled for release on June 5, 2025, Kamal Haasan’s latest letter may pave the way for reconciliation. However, whether it will be accepted by protestors and pave the way for Thug Life’s release in Karnataka remains to be seen.
