‘You may be Kamal Haasan, but can’t hurt sentiments’: What Karnataka HC told actor during 'Thug Life' plea hearing

NEW DELHI: The Karnataka high court delivered a sharp rebuke to actor Kamal Haasan on Tuesday during the hearing of a petition by his film’s producers challenging a ban on the release of Thug Life in the state. Justice M Nagaprasanna questioned Haasan’s refusal to apologise for his controversial remark that “Kannada was born from Tamil,” stressing that no citizen, let alone a public figure, has the right to hurt linguistic sentiments. The judge underscored that Haasan’s statement had stirred unrest and warned that freedom of expression cannot be stretched to offend the feelings of millions. “One apology would have solved everything.

Why the resistance?” he asked, pointing to the actor’s insistence on standing by his words despite the backlash.The hearing on the petition filed by Raajkamal Films International, Chennai — producers of Thug Life starring Kamal Haasan — was adjourned to June 10 after the court took note of Haasan’s recent communication to the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC). The letter expressed his respect for Kannada and his regret over the embarrassment faced by Kannada actor Shivaraj Kumar but stopped short of an explicit apology, a key demand by the KFCC.

Justice Nagaprasanna’s remarks were stern and pointed throughout the hearing. The judge emphasized the deep emotional connection between language and identity in Karnataka, remarking, “Jala, Nila, Bashe—three things are important to citizens.” He questioned the basis of Haasan’s claim that Kannada originated from Tamil, asking, “Are you a historian? Or a linguist?” and highlighted that such statements have caused “disharmony” and undermined public sentiment.The court expressed frustration over Haasan’s refusal to apologise, pointing out that the controversy was entirely self-created. “Now you are here seeking police protection for a situation you yourself created! If you want your film to run here, an apology is necessary,” the judge said. “Freedom of expression cannot be a shield to hurt the sentiments of the masses.”Senior Advocate Dhyan Chinappa, representing the producers, argued that Haasan’s statement was not meant to offend and was taken out of context.

However, the court insisted that acknowledging the hurt caused and offering an apology was the only way forward to diffuse the situation. “You can say ‘I made a statement without looking into the history,’” the judge suggested, citing a past example of a similar apology by Kannada scholar Sri Rajagopal Acharya.The court also noted that the KFCC had publicly declared they would not permit the screening of Thug Life until an apology was made.

The petitioner producers submitted that they are willing to delay the film’s release in Karnataka until a dialogue with KFCC resolves the issue.Justice Nagaprasanna concluded by observing that while India is a nation of many languages, unity must prevail over linguistic divisions. “Languages may be many, country is still one,” he said, urging the parties to seek reconciliation. The court adjourned the matter to June 10 to allow time for talks and ordered notices to the state and central governments and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).The controversy erupted after Kamal Haasan’s statement suggesting that “Kannada is born from Tamil,” which triggered widespread outrage in Karnataka. The KFCC swiftly announced a ban on the screening of Thug Life in the state, citing the actor’s remarks as deeply offensive. The producers challenged this ban in the Karnataka high court, asserting that the film itself contains no content relating to the languages or such claims. They argued that the ban infringed on fundamental rights, including the freedom to exhibit the film certified by the CBFC.