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Things were definitely easier the last time Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam made a movie together back in 1987. But as the duo prepares for the release of their latest collaboration, Thug Life, the public discourse has shifted from the actual movie to other controversies. Haasan found himself in hot water after he made a controversial statement regarding the Kannada language during a promotional event for the film. However, actor and producer Shiva Rajkumar has come to his friend’s defence amid the backlash and has stated that Haasan has, in fact, always been a great admirer of the Kannada language.
During the audio launch event for Thug Life, Haasan was on stage and said that “Kannada was born out of Tamil.” Soon after the event, the actor started getting flak for his comments and was being questioned about his knowledge regarding Kannada as a language. Shiva, who was in the audience, said about Haasan, “Kamal Sir has always spoken highly of Kannada and has expressed great admiration for Bengaluru. He speaks with pride about our city. We’ve grown up watching him, and I’ve been a die-hard fan of Kamal Sir for years.”
He turned the tables and questioned several news organisations for focusing and caring about Kannada only during major events or when something controversial goes down. Shiva said, “Our commitment to Kannada must be lifelong. If needed, I’m ready to fight — even give my life — for Kannada. Speaking highly of Kannada in front of cameras isn’t enough. Actions matter more than words. What have you done for Kannada cinema? Have you given opportunities to newcomers? If we truly want Kannada to grow, it’s our duty to support it in every way possible.”
He further clarified that he doesn’t need to talk about Haasan anymore and that the actor has “contributed a lot for Kannada cinema” and asked the people to ask their conscience about their commitment to the language. On the other hand, both Ratnam and Hassan must be hoping that this all blows over before the release of the movie, because even though one would like to believe that no publicity is bad publicity, this is something that can lead to Kannada-speaking fans boycotting the film.
Several pro-Kannada organisations, including the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV), launched protests in Karnataka and condemned Kamal Haasan’s comments, demanding an apology. Karnataka chief minister Siddaramiah also criticised Haasan and said, “Kannada has a long and well-documented history. Poor Kamal Haasan. He is simply unaware of it”. There were also demands to ban Thug Life in the state.
Kamal Haasan earlier gave an explanation for his comment, pointing out that it’s not an answer. “I think what I said was said with a lot of love. Historians have taught me the language’s history…I didn’t mean anything. And, let me tell you, Tamil Nadu is a place which has been open. I don’t say there is no other state like this. But a very rare state where a Menon (MG Ramachandran) has been our Chief Minister…a Reddy (Omandur Ramasamy Reddiyar) has been our Chief Minister, a Tamilian (M Karunanidhi) has been our Chief Minister and then a Kannadiga Iyengar has been our CM from Mandya,” PTI quoted him as saying.
The movie is already a very big event on paper, not just because of the director and lead actor, but also because AR Rahman is the one conducting the underlying musical narrative of the film. Featuring Hassan, Trisha Krishnan, Sanya Malhotra, Abhirami, Ashok Selvan, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Joju George, Nassar, Ali Fazal, and Rohit Saraf. It is slated for a release on June 5.
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