Kamal Haasan recently sparked a major controversy following his speech at a function in Tamil Nadu. Starting with “Urave Urave Tamil,” Kamal stated that Kannada actor Shivrajkumar was “also born from Tamil,” implying a cultural connection. This comment, however, deeply hurt the sentiments of many people in Karnataka, who felt their language and identity were being undermined.
The backlash was swift, with BJP President Vijayendra Yadollappa sharply criticizing Kamal Haasan. He called Kamal’s remarks “disgraceful” and accused him of arrogance for disrespecting Kannada. Vijayendra emphasized that no artist should judge the greatness of a language, especially in the culturally diverse South India.
Local groups such as Kannada Rakshana Vedike took immediate action by organizing protests in Bengaluru. Kamal Haasan’s posters were torn, and strong demands arose, including calls to ban his films in Karnataka. Leader Praveen Shetty warned that Kamal’s disrespect toward Kannada language would not be tolerated.
This controversy is expected to have serious repercussions on Kamal Haasan’s upcoming film ‘Thug Life’, especially as its Karnataka release approaches. The criticism threatens to impact the movie’s reception negatively. Amid the growing uproar, Kamal Haasan has issued unconditional apologies in an effort to calm the situation and rebuild goodwill with Karnataka audiences.