
Kamal Haasan postpones Rajya Sabha nomination filing amid Kannada row
Actor Kamal Haasan has deferred the filing of his nomination for a Rajya Sabha seat, which was supposed to happen today. Sources say the actor has been advised to postpone the filing until after the release of his upcoming film, Thug Life. The delay, according to sources, has been advised in the wake of the backlash the actor faced for his controversial comment regarding Kannada's origins.advertisementHaasan, as part of an electoral pact between Tamil Nadu's ruling party Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and his party Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) during the 2024 Lok Sabha general election, was promised a Rajya Sabha seat in exchange for MNM's support to the DMK-led alliance.The DMK officially announced Haasan as one of its three candidates for the three Rajya Sabha seats last Wednesday, May 28, paving the way for Kamal Haasan's entry into Parliament.
Six Rajya Sabha seats from Tamil Nadu are falling vacant soon, and elections to fill them are scheduled for June 19.Haasan created a political controversy after he said, 'Kannada is born out of Tamil' at a recent promotional event for Thug Life. The comment did not go down well with pro-Kannada groups, who demanded that he apologise and called for a state-wide boycott of his film.advertisementThe Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce, in agreement with the protesters, decided to halt the release and screening of the film. Kamal Haasan, who had moved the Karnataka High Court seeking protection for the release and screening, decided during the hearing not to release the film in Karnataka.The actor also steadfastly refused to apologise, saying he had done nothing wrong and that his comment was taken out of context.Tune InMust Watch
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Pink Villa
6 minutes ago
- Pink Villa
Netizens REACT to Dulquer Salmaan's exit from Kamal Haasan's Thug Life, call it ‘greatest' decision
Kamal Haasan and Silambarasan TR starrer Thug Life hit the big screens on June 5, 2025. As the Mani Ratnam directorial has been received with mixed-to-negative reviews, netizens have complimented Dulquer Salmaan's exit from the film. Taking to the internet, many users complimented the actor's departure from the project with one saying, 'Turning down the role in Thug Life was one of the GREATEST decisions Dulquer Salmaan ever made!' Another user said, 'After the trailer everyone trolled him from his decision now after watching the movie everyone is celebrating his decision.' Moreover, one netizen lauded the actor for his script selection over the years and said, 'Dulquer Salmaan, The Man of intellectual and fortunate. Great escape from #ThugLife. Thank you Bro.' For those unaware, Thug Life had previously announced that Dulquer Salmaan will portray a key role as one of the core cast members. The makers officially announced his inclusion along with actors like Ravi Mohan and Gautham Karthik. However, all three of them later opted out of the project due to the production delays. While it is not confirmed which role DQ was supposed to play, it is believed that he was later replaced by Silambarasan TR. Talking about the movie, Thug Life is a gangster actioner featuring the tale of Rangaraaya Sakthivel. A feared mafia kingpin, he once engages in a shootout with his rival, which causes an innocent man to lose his life. As Sakthivel adopts the late person's son, Amaran, he raises him as his own and makes him a mafia member. After several conflicts, the once beloved foster son turns into his biggest enemy, prompting a showdown that would lead to their deaths. With Haasan and STR in lead roles, the film has Trisha Krishnan, Abhirami, Nassar, Joju George, Ashok Selvan, and many more in key roles. On the other hand, Dulquer Salmaan is currently involved in the shoot of his next Malayalam movie, I'm Game. With Aakasam Lo Oka Tara and Kaantha in his lineup, the actor is expected to make a cameo appearance in Kalyani Priyadarshan and Naslen starrer, produced by DQ himself.

The Hindu
11 minutes ago
- The Hindu
India stands insulted, isolated on global stage, says Congress
The Congress on Friday (June 6, 2025) said India stands diplomatically 'isolated', and the biggest failure of the foreign policy is that the government couldn't organise meetings of all-party delegations sent abroad 'with heads of states or influential people'. The party said even India's all-weather partners had not spoken a word in the country's favour, and wondered what the nation gained from such an exercise. Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate claimed that India is being 'insulted' all over the world due to the 'failed foreign policy' of the Modi government. Ms. Shrinate pointed to how U.S. President Donald Trump had been repeatedly taking credit for the 'ceasefire' between India and Pakistan, and how 'our all-weather friends are distancing themselves from us'. 'In a complete collapse of India's foreign policy, it's no longer just President Trump taking credit for the ceasefire between India and Pakistan, but now even our all-weather ally Russia believes Trump mediated the ceasefire,' Ms. Shrinate said, adding, 'Modi ji's silence is deafening'. 'Failure of foreign policy' Referring to the multi-party diplomatic delegations that visited various countries to convey India's stand following Operation Sindoor and the Pahalgam terror attack, she said these delegations couldn't say much on foreign soil but as the principal Opposition party, the Congress will raise questions. 'The question we are raising is this: these delegations went overseas, and it turned out to be a complete failure of our foreign policy, as we were not able to get them a single meeting with people of consequence. How many countries have spoken in our favour after these delegation trips,' Ms. Shrinate asked. Also read: Operation Sindoor — a reshaping of confrontation Ms. Shrinate pointed out that Pakistan had not only got a role in multilateral agencies such as the United Nations but financial aid from institutions like the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the World Bank (WB). 'Mute spectators' 'These are institutions where India once yielded significant influence but are now mute spectators,' she said. 'It (Pakistan) is getting the opportunity to be represented in global institutions; global institutions are giving it financial aid. Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not even glance towards Kashmir in the last 45 days, but today he has reached Kashmir to cut the ribbon (to open the Chenab bridge and launch other projects).' Drawing parallels between the Congress-led UPA government's handling of the 26/11 attacks with the way the Modi government handled the Pahalgam terror attack, Ms. Shrinate said each and every terrorist was killed and brought to book in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. 'What happened to the dreaded terrorists who killed so many people in Pahalgam? Why are they still at large?' she asked. Separately, senior Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi took to social media to slam the appointment of Pakistan as the vice-chair of a UN panel on terrorism. 'Amazing and unbelievable. #Pak chairing and co-chairing #UN #SecurityCouncil panels on anti-terror! Worse than making Dracula head of a blood bank!! And sadly, some failure in our foreign policy on both counts: that enough nations are not speaking out for us & also that we are unable to delay and thwart such ridiculous appointments…,' Mr. Singhvi said on X. Amazing and unbelievable. #Pak chairing and co chairing #UN#SecurityCouncil panels on anti terror! Worse than making Dracula head of a blood bank!! And sadly, some failure in our foreign policy on both counts: that enuff nations not speaking out for us & also that we are unable… — Abhishek Singhvi (@DrAMSinghvi) June 6, 2025


News18
30 minutes ago
- News18
'Arrogance': Mohandas Pai On Bengaluru Migrant Population Who Refuse To Speak Kannada
Last Updated: T.V. Mohandas Pai reignited the debate on non-natives not using Kannada in Karnataka, stressing its importance for public roles and condemning the refusal to learn it. Amid the ongoing debate over use of Kannada by non-natives in Karnataka, tech investor and former Infosys executive T.V. Mohandas Pai has reignited the fiery row, saying that working professionals in Karnataka must learn and use the local language—Kannada—especially while dealing with public. Chairman at Aarin Capital, Pai condemned the rising trend of 'arrogance" among non-natives working in Bengaluru over refusing to learn even basic Kannada. While speaking to news agency PTI, Pai cautioned such attitude leads to avoidable tensions with the local population. 'Bengaluru is one of the most inclusive cities in India. The native Kannada-speaking population here is around 33%. People from across the country have made the city their home, have prospered here, and continue to do well. But some of them, instead of integrating, develop a sense of superiority and outright reject the local language. That's not acceptable," news agency PTI quoted Pai as saying. Calling it as a mark of respect for the state people relocate to for work, Pai added the principle applies nationwide. 'Whether someone moves to Bengal, Maharashtra or Karnataka, it helps to learn a few words of the local language. It's not just about communication—it's about respecting the culture of the place you've chosen to live in," the tech investor further said. Citing a recent controversy that involved an SBI bank manager in Karnataka who allegedly refused to speak Kannada with a customer, he said, 'This entire episode could have been avoided with just a little humility." 'All she needed to say was, 'I'm still learning Kannada, let me ask a colleague to help.' That would've shown basic respect." The incident had spurred strong response from pro-Kannada groups and drew flak, prompting the bank to issue an official apology. Underlining the role of language for professionals who deliver public service, especially in rural Karnataka, Pai said, 'If you are posted in a village or small town, your customers may not understand Hindi or English. In such cases, it is your responsibility to adapt and speak the local language," he said. The debate over language use has become a central issue in Karnataka's politics and public discourse in recent months, particularly in Bengaluru. The city's rapidly growing migrant population has sparked concerns among locals about the declining use of Kannada in day-to-day interactions. First Published: June 06, 2025, 21:20 IST