Kannada row: Kamal Haasan tells KFCC 'I'm misunderstood', but stops short of apology
CHENNAI: Even as the Karnataka High Court came down heavily on actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan over his remark that "Kannada was born out of Tamil", the veteran actor issued a clarification in a letter to the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) on Tuesday.
In the letter, Haasan said all he meant was that "we are all one and from the same family," and that his comments were not intended to diminish Kannada in any way. He was referring to his speech at the Thug Life audio launch event, which had sparked the controversy.
"There is no dispute or debate on the rich legacy of Kannada language," the actor wrote to KFCC, which has refused to release the new film in the state until Haasan issues an apology.
However, he did not did not apologise for his remarks.
"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 Shiva Rajkumar, has been misunderstood and taken out of context," Haasan said.
The actor said cinema must remain a bridge between people and never a wall dividing them. "I have never been nor would ever want to give any room for public unrest and animosity," he affirmed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
11 minutes ago
- Time of India
Nicole Kidman to star in TV adaptation of 'Girls and Their Horses'
Hollywood star Nicole Kidman will be seen starring in and executive produce a new series adapted from the book "Girls and Their Horses" by author Eliza Jane Brazier. Brazier's novel, set in the idyllic community of Rancho Santa Fe, California, follows the newly wealthy Parker family as their daughters enter the fiercely competitive world of competitive horseback riding. The tangled web of secrets, lies and riches on the ranch eventually leaves someone dead, leaving readers to follow along as the mystery unfolds. The 57-year-old star will portray the Parker family matriarch, reports The murder mystery is currently in development and will be co-produced by Legendary Television and Amazon MGM Studios for Prime Video, according to Variety. Jenna Lamia will serve as showrunner and executive producer. Lamia is no stranger to book adaptations, having most recently adapted Elin Hilderbrand's The Perfect Couple for Netflix in 2024, another thriller series adaptation starring Kidman. Kidman has previously starred in several successful book-to-television adaptations in recent years, including Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers. "Girls and Their Horses" was previously a Read with Jenna pick from Today host Jenna Bush Hager upon its 2023 release. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 99 Tips for Your Retirement Once Your Portfolio Reaches £250,000 Fisher Investments UK Undo As the series is in early development, further casting details remain under wraps. Talking about the actress, Kidman is known for her work in film and television productions across many genres, she has consistently ranked among the world's highest-paid actresses since the late 1990s. Her accolades include an Academy Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, a British Academy Film Award, and six Golden Globe Awards. Kidman started acting in Australia with the films Bush Christmas and BMX Bandits. Her breakthrough came with lead roles in Dead Calm and the miniseries Bangkok Hilton. She then did popular projects such as Days of Thunder followed by leading roles in Far and Away, To Die For, Batman Forever, Practical Magic, Eyes Wide Shut, Moulin Rouge! and The Hours. Along with The Others, Cold Mountain, The Golden Compass, Australia, and Paddington. Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
Time of India
11 minutes ago
- Time of India
Actor Kamal Haasan mourns tragic loss of lives during RCB victory parade in Bengaluru
The victory celebrations of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) took a tragic turn in Bengaluru, as a deadly stampede during the team's IPL 2025 title parade led to the loss of 11 lives and left more than 50 injured as per The Hindu. The incident occurred when fans gathered in overwhelming numbers to celebrate RCB's maiden IPL win. What was intended to be a moment of joy for thousands quickly spiralled into chaos due to overcrowding and a lack of crowd control measures. Kamal Haasan expresses grief and solidarity In the wake of this distressing event, veteran actor and political leader Kamal Haasan has expressed his heartfelt condolences. Sharing his reaction on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), he wrote, 'Heart wrenching tragedy in Bangalore. Deeply distressed and my heart reaches out to the families of the victims in this moment of grief. May the injured recover soon.' His message reflected the sorrow felt across the country as fans and celebrities mourned the incident. Massive crowds and poor planning raise safety concerns According to The Hindu, more than 50 individuals were injured in the crowd crush, with over 25 of them requiring hospitalisation. Police and volunteers acted swiftly to transport the wounded to nearby hospitals, including Bowring Hospital, Vydehi Hospital, and Atal Bihari Vajpayee Hospital. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Nagelpilz-Lösung sorgt online für Hype – das sagt der Faktencheck Med-Aktuell Undo Despite the emergency response, questions are now being raised about the lack of preparedness and inadequate crowd management that led to the catastrophe. The joyous mood surrounding RCB's historic win has been overshadowed by this heartbreaking turn of events, prompting widespread calls for stricter safety protocols at public gatherings. Amid tragedy, Kamal Haasan also faces controversy in Karnataka over 'Thug Life' Meanwhile, Kamal Haasan is also dealing with political backlash in Karnataka over a controversial comment he made about the Kannada language while promoting his upcoming film 'Thug Life.' The remark sparked protests and demands for a public apology, with some groups threatening to stall the film's release in the state. Though Kamal Haasan clarified his stance, the issue continues to stir debate, and 'Thug Life' has hit theatres across the globe except Karnataka today (June 5). Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
The Print
12 minutes ago
- The Print
TV news is always enthusiastic about a ‘war'—India-Pakistan, Putin-Zelenskyy, Kannada-Tamil
'Badla,' said Republic Bharat . 'Badla,' said Zee Bharat . Operation Sindoor once more? No, it was Operation Spider's Web. Take last Monday: you could watch drones rise into the sky—as only drones can—and swoop down on defenseless Russian aircraft with precision. Slam! Bang! Explosion after explosion lit up the TV screen, flames billowed into smoke, and in the distance, we heard the scary sound of sirens. War is the No. 1 entertainer on television news in India. It has washed TV soaps down the tube. Who wants to watch a mother-in-law slap her daughter-in law when we can watch India slap down Pakistan—or Zelenskyy deliver a stinging blow to Putin? This was 'Pearl Harbour 2.0'—the 'Maha Yudh,' 'Full and Final' (Republic Bharat) running on Indian television news channels. It was 'Putin v/s Trump', declared TV9 Bharatvarsh. Why watch a girl named Saru in plaited pigtail confront Ankita in tight skirts (Saru, Zee TV) when you can watch US President Donald Trump, the 'Lord of Lunacy'—as TV9 Bharatvarsh called him—outstare Russian President Vladimir Putin? If it's not actual war, TV news conflicts are more entertaining than the family court-martials on TV soaps. On Wednesday there was a 'Kannada-Tamil War' in the TV newsrooms 'starring' Kamal Hassan as the 'villain' (Times Now). Cut to a visual of the film star, long, stringy strands of hair framing his villainous face, looking exactly like he led a 'Thug Life'—the title of his latest film. The Mani Ratnam film is now caught in the battle of Bengaluru, as Karnataka threatens to boycott Thug Life after Kamal Hassan appeared to offend Kannadiga pride by stating that 'Kannada was born out of Tamil.' Wouldn't you rather watch this case of exploding linguistic identities than Akshara swooning here and there during her pregnancy while trying to withstand the nauseating behaviour of her would-be saas, who is trying to prevent her son from marrying Akshara in the TV soap Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai (Star Plus)? This family drama has aired since 2012 and has so many internal conflicts, great epics pale in comparison. Still, it can't compare with the drones of war on television news. Also read: Blood, Bengal, and Breaking News—Local TV channels are desensitising us, badly War excites TV news The comparison between war among nations and war within a joint family isn't a false equivalence: both thrive on constant conflict and keep us round-eyed with astonishment at the unfolding events. What's clear is that TV news coverage of modern warfare is more eye-catching: boots on the ground have been replaced by flying machines. This allows TV channels to play video war games. Digital technology and now AI help newsrooms come up with high-quality maps, detailed graphics, and advanced animation to bring action to life. Just look at this one by AiTelly. Hindi news channels have also taken to war enthusiastically. TV9 Bharatvarsh is also known as 'Yudh TV' for waging ceaseless battle on air, 24×7. The conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine, Bangladesh, and Balochistan regularly show up on the news. How can any mere mortal TV soap actor—who is there to weep, shout, stand, and stare without messing up the make-up—compete with this? The primary purpose of the characters they play is to look soulfully into the eyes of a beloved or narrow their eyes into venomous slits while they spit out poisonous threats like, 'You will not steal Adit from me' (Mangal Lakshmi, Colors). Alternatively, the one happy family has to reinforce the ideals of the patriarchal Hindu value system: In Udne ki Asha (Star Plus), the mother-in-law comes up with a brilliant idea: 'All the wives will cook for their husbands!' Well. TV soaps have not reinvented themselves with the times, perhaps because they're targeting audiences in smaller cities and rural areas. They're still about the Hindu parivaar – loving, fighting, feuding—while urban viewers have moved on to watch OTT shows like the recently released The Royals (Netflix). Even when they attempt change, they fall back on old stereotypes. In Jagruti, Ek Nai Subah (Zee), the lead female character is a policewoman from an imaginary backward community called 'Chitta'. She is up against the mafia king – Thakurji. Thakurji profits from drugs, animal skins, and other illegal trades. He lives a lavish lifestyle, sprawled out on a couch with a glass of Scotch whisky dangling from his fingers as he threatens the police chief. And when he's angry, he shatters the glass with his bare hand. Also, everything moves in slow motion; the camera still does a 360-degree twirl to capture the expressionless faces of the family members. And then there's the music… Also read: Sensational, speculative, insensitive—that's how TV news is covering Kolkata doctor's rape Murder and mayhem There's plenty of music on news channels too—and special effects galore. For shouting matches, we have TV news anchors and their guests—BJP and Congress play the lead roles of warring families. We've even watched people assault each other in the newsroom. And if you are loyal viewers of Crime Patrol or the other popular crime shows C.I.D (Sony) and Savdhaan India (Star Bharat), you'll find enough murder on news channels to slake your blood thirst. Wednesday morning, India Today had news of a 'Ghastly crime in Shillong' where honeymooners were 'hacked to death'. It also had mobile video footage of a 'murder in a bakery'. Let's remember the Shraddha Walkar case that was telecast for weeks across news channels. Lastly, everyone has credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for coming up with the name Operation Sindoor. Did you know there's a TV serial called 'Sindoor ki Keemat' that aired on Dangal between 2021 and 2023? The author tweets @shailajabajpai. Views are personal. (Edited by Prashant)
