Kannada Sahitya Parishat seeks Karnataka High Court’s permission to intervene in plea on Thug Life release  

A file photo of the Kannada Sahitya Parishat building in Bengaluru.

The Kannada Sahitya Parishat (KSP) on Thursday filed an application in the High Court of Karnataka seeking permission to intervene in the petition filed by Raaj Kamal Films International on the issue of releasing Tamil film Thug Life in Karnataka, after controversy cropped up owing to actor Kamal Haasan’s statement that “Kannada is born out of Tamil”.

In its application, the KSP has said that “being a primary stakeholder in preserving the integrity, history, and respect of Kannada language, it seeks to intervene to present relevant historical, linguistic, and constitutional aspects concerning Kannada’s independent linguistic identity and cultural stranding.”

The KSP further said that it would bring to the notice of the court the constitutional, cultural, and linguistic concerns arising from the statement of Mr. Haasan and the directions sought by the producer of the film particularly from the perspective of protecting the identity, dignity, and historical legacy of Kannada language and culture.

Contending that Mr. Haasan’s statement was made without factual backing or academic support, the KSP has stated that “the language is heart and soul of the land and hence called sacred mother tongue. Bracketing language in terms of seniority or superiority is akin to comparing sacred motherhood which is totally unacceptable in a civilised society.”

Mr. Haasan’s letter to Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce, which had demanded his apology, does not contain any categorical apology, the KSP said. It further said that freedom of speech and expression is not absolute as it comes with reasonable restrictions. The application is likely to come up for hearing when the petition is posted for further hearing on June 13.

Earlier in the week, Mr. Haasan had chosen not to tender an apology for his statement, despite a suggestion made in this regard by the High Court to put an end to the controversy.

Raaj Kamal Films International had filed a petition seeking police protection for release of the movie owing to opposition from Kannada organisations and the KFCC. The company stated that it is not willing to screen the movie in Karnataka unless an encouraging dialogue takes place with the KFCC.

Published - June 05, 2025 10:11 pm IST