Kamal Haasan wishes Shiva Rajkumar on 40 years in Kannada cinema after Thug Life row
Kamal Haasan praised Kannada actor Shiva Rajkumar on completing 40 years in the film industry. In a video celebrating the milestone, Kamal fondly spoke about his camaraderie with the Rajkumar family and even conveyed his wishes in Kannada. His message comes in the wake of the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce's ban on his upcoming film, 'Thug Life', following his controversial remarks about the origins of the Kannada language.advertisementIn a video message Kamal Haasan said in Tamil, 'You can call him (Shiva Rajkumar) my younger brother or son, you can call me his father's (Dr Rajkumar) younger brother or son. However you see it, Shivanna is family. I'm not saying this just for this video, but it is a relationship that has been there for probably 50 years now.' He further added, 'The love Rajkumar anna showed me is something that I never expected. The reason is because we all grew up within the same studio under him.' Speaking about Shiva Rajkumar, he said, 'I don't know how Shivanna's career of 40 years went by so soon. He is someone who introduced himself to me as my fan. Today he has grown into a star, a superstar who is carrying on the legacy of his father. This is something I am very happy about.'advertisement
Kamal then briefly switched to Kannada, saying, 'Shivanna, hope you are keeping well. Take care, be happy and do more films. Let's talk again — both of us together — on your 50th anniversary. I'll still be there and our love will still be there. Convey my well wishes to everybody.'Pro-Kannada groups protested against Kamal Haasan's statement that 'Kannada is born out of Tamil,' demanding that the veteran actor apologise. After he refused to do so, several pro-Kannada groups intensified their protest, leading to a ban on the theatrical release of his film 'Thug Life' in Karnataka. Shiva Rajkumar, who was present when the statement was made, was also dragged into the controversy. When asked about the matter, he questioned the critics, asking them what they have done for the betterment of Kannada.Apart from Kamal Haasan, several other prominent names from the South Indian film industries also wished Shiva Rajkumar on the occasion. Actors like Chiranjeevi, Nagarjuna, Kichcha Sudeep, Nani, Vijay Deverakonda and Dhruva Sarja sent their wishes through video messages. Along with them, 'Jailer' director Nelson and 'Pushpa' music composer Devi Sri Prasad also congratulated the 'Jogi' actor on the milestone. Tune InMust Watch
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