Tamil actor-politician Kamal Haasan has refused to apologise for his controversial comment claiming Kannada was “born out of Tamil”, a remark that has triggered a fierce backlash in Karnataka ahead of the release of his film Thug Life on June 5.
The actor’s production house, Raaj Kamal Films International, has now postponed the movie’s release in the state and withdrawn its petition seeking police protection for screenings, reported NDTV.
Appearing before the Karnataka High Court on Tuesday, senior advocate Dhyan Chinnappa, representing Kamal, informed the court that the actor has “utmost respect for Kannada” but would not issue an apology.
“We don’t need security as of now... we are not going to be released. We will hold talks with the film chamber,” Mr Chinnappa told the court, prompting a sharp response from the bench: “This is your ego speaking.”
The court adjourned the matter to June 10 but not before offering a stern warning. “You have a right to speech... but not to hurt sentiments,” the judge said. “The spoken word can’t be taken back, but there can be an apology. You cannot unscramble a scrambled egg.”
The row stems from Kamal’s comment at a Chennai event last week, when he said: “Your language (Kannada) was born out of Tamil,” while acknowledging Kannada actor Shiva Rajkumar’s presence.
The comment has drawn sharp criticism from pro-Kannada groups and political leaders, with the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) declaring that Thug Life would not be released in the state unless the actor apologised.
KFCC president M. Narasimhulu said: “Kamal Haasan insists ‘I haven’t done anything wrong, so won’t apologise’. But if he does not, there is no question of allowing the film’s release.”
In a letter to KFCC, Kamal wrote that he hoped the misunderstanding would be resolved and reiterated his admiration for Kannada culture.
The court, however, noted that the word “apology” was missing from his communication and remarked that while explanations can take many forms, “there is only one way to apologise”.
Kamal’s legal team insisted there was no malicious intent. “He said art can wait. The release can wait in Karnataka. He is open to dialogue,” Mr Chinnappa said, requesting time for further discussions with KFCC.
