Kamal Haasan has found himself at the centre of a linguistic controversy following comments made at the audio launch of his upcoming film Thug Life. While addressing Kannada superstar Shivarajkumar at the Chennai event, Haasan made a statement that has since stirred strong reactions, particularly in Karnataka. “I started my speech with ‘Uyire Urave Tamizhe’ (My life and my family is in Tamil), and since Kannada was born from Tamil, you’re also included in that,” said Haasan, as a gesture of camaraderie. While seemingly benign, the comment has not gone down well with several Kannada-speaking individuals and groups.
Many in Karnataka have accused the veteran actor of diminishing the linguistic and cultural identity of Kannada. Critics argue that suggesting Kannada originated from Tamil undermines the rich and independent literary history of the language, which is among the oldest in India. Social media platforms saw a flurry of angry responses, with hashtags like #BoycottThugLife and #StopLanguageInsult trending among Kannada users.
Several Kannada activists and scholars also weighed in on the issue, stating that while Tamil and Kannada both belong to the Dravidian language family, they evolved independently and possess unique cultural heritages. “This isn’t about rivalry—it’s about respecting linguistic roots and not reducing one language’s identity by subsuming it under another,” said a Kannada language historian during a local news panel discussion.
The backlash has now escalated to calls for a boycott of Thug Life in Karnataka, with some theatre owners reportedly reconsidering the film’s release. As of now, Kamal Haasan has not issued a clarification or apology. Whether this linguistic row will affect the film’s pan-Indian prospects remains to be seen, but the controversy highlights the sensitive nature of language and cultural pride in India’s diverse landscape.
