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Indian Express
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Kamal Haasan thanks ‘entire Tamil Nadu for standing behind' him amid Kannada row
Despite Tuesday's Karnataka High Court reprimand over his remarks that Kannada was born out of Tamil and his refusal to apologise, actor-politician Kamal Haasan on Wednesday thanked the 'entire state of Tamil Nadu for standing behind' him. While lauding crew members of his film Thug Life for their hard work, Haasan expressed his deep love for the Tamil language as he referred to the slogan 'Uyire, Urave, Tamizhe' (Tamil is my life and my family) in his first public appearance after the high court's critical remarks. Incidentally, Haasan had used the 'Uyire, Urave, Tamizhe' slogan during the promotional event of his latest film during which he made the controversial remark about Kannada. The 70-year-old actor had said Kannada was born out of Tamil, triggering protests by pro-Kannada organisations. The Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) warned that the film would not be released in the state unless Haasan issued a formal apology. The actor lauded Mani Ratnam, saying the ace director had transformed into a 'cinema gyani' and that he was excited to work with the latter. After the high court reprimand, his production house, Raaj Kamal Films International, said he would hold a dialogue with the KFCC and later announced that the film would not be released in the state. Raajkamal Film Ventures had filed a plea in the high court for police protection for the release of the film. Justice M Nagaprasanna suggested that Haasan should express regret if the sentiments of people in Karnataka had been hurt by his recent remarks on the origin of the Kannada language. In a letter to the KFCC earlier, Haasan had expressed his 'pain' that his statement at the film's audio launch was misunderstood and taken out of context. He said the statement was made out of affection for the family of Dr Rajkumar, including Shiva Rajkumar, as he wanted to convey that they were from the same family. Haasan also expressed his admiration for the Kannada literary and cultural traditions, the warmth extended to him by Kannadigas, and his love for Kannada. He said his bond with all the languages of the land was heartfelt and that he was opposed to the dominance of any one language as it would undermine the linguistic fabric of India. He added that as a speaker of the 'language of cinema', his statement was only intended to establish a bond and unity. Haasan also said he hoped his words would be received in the intended spirit and reiterated his affection for Karnataka and Kannada. He concluded his letter by stating his belief that the misunderstanding was temporary and another opportunity to 'reiterate our mutual love and respect'. Kannada and Culture Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi wrote to the KFCC on May 29, urging that all films featuring Haasan be banned in Karnataka if he failed to apologise. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also weighed in, asserting that Kannada has a long and well-documented history. (With PTI inputs)
New Indian Express
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Kamal Haasan stirs row with ‘Kannada born from Tamil' remark; BJP, pro-Kannada groups demand apology
Tamil megastar Kamal Haasan has sparked a fresh controversy just weeks ahead of the release of his upcoming film Thug Life, with a remark made at an event in Chennai claiming that the Kannada language "was born out of Tamil." Haasan began his speech with the phrase "Uyire Urave Tamizhe," which translates to "my life and my family is Tamil language." Turning to Kannada actor Shivarajkumar, who was also present at the event, Haasan said, 'This is my family in that place. That's why he (Shivarajkumar) has come here. That's why I began my speech saying life, relationship and Tamil. Your language (Kannada) was born out of Tamil, so you too are included (part of it).' Karnataka BJP President B Y Vijayendra said on Tuesday accused the actor of "disrespecting" Kannada in his effort to glorify his own mother tongue. The BJP leader also demanded that the actor issue an 'unconditional apology to Kannadigas immediately'. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), he said: 'Artists should have the culture of respecting every language. It is the height of arrogance that actor @ikamalhaasan, who has acted in many Indian languages, including Kannada, has insulted Kannada.' He also said Kannada is a prominent language in many parts of the world, including India, for centuries.
