With the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) threatening to ban Kamal Haasan’s Thug Life in the state, the veteran actor said that his comment that Kannada was born out of Tamil has been “misunderstood” and taken out of context. In his response to KFCC, Kamal Haasan issued a statement saying: “My words were intended only to convey that we are all one and from the same family and not to diminish Kannada in any way. There is no dispute or debate on the rich legacy of Kannada language.”
He added, “Like Tamil, Kannada has a proud literary and cultural tradition that I have long admired. Throughout my career, I have cherished the warmth and affection extended to me by the Kannada-speaking community, and I say this with a clear conscience and conviction: my love for the language is genuine, and I have great respect for the love that Kannadigas have for their mother tongue.”
Kamal said that his bond with Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam and all languages of this land is “abiding” and “heartfelt”.
“I have always stood for the equal dignity of all Indian languages and remain opposed to the dominance of any one language over another, as such imbalance undermines the linguistic fabric of the Union of India,” he wrote.
The actor further said, “I know and speak the language of Cinema. Cinema is a universal language that knows only love and bonding. My statement was also only to establish that bond and unity amongst all of us.”
Expressing regret that actor Shivarajkumar has also been dragged into the controversy, he added, “It is this love and bond that my seniors taught me which I wanted to share. It is out of this love and bond that Shivanna attended the audio launch event. I really regret that Shivanna had to go through such embarrassment on account of this. But I am sure our true love and respect for each other will always remain and get firmer now.”
He said that Cinema should remain a bridge between people and not a wall that divides them. “This was the intent of my statement and I never have been nor would ever want to give any room for public unrest and animosity.”
He concluded the statement by saying that the people of Karnataka understand the intent behind his remarks. “I sincerely hope my words are received in the spirit they were intended, and that my enduring affection for Karnataka, its people, and their language is recognised in its true light. I earnestly believe that this misunderstanding is temporary and an opportunity to reiterate our mutual love and respect.”
Earlier on Tuesday, the Karnataka High Court slammed Kamal for his comments and asked him to apologise for his comments.
“You may be Kamala Haasan or anybody, you cannot hurt the sentiments of the masses. The division of this country is on linguistic lines. A public figure cannot make such statements. What has happened because of it is unrest, disharmony. And what have the people of Karnataka asked for? Only an apology,” the court observed.
Actor Kamal Haasan triggered a language controversy during the audio launch of Thug Life in Chennai by suggesting that “Kannada was born out of Tamil.” The comments triggered protests by pro-Kannada organisations and KFCC who threatened to boycott Thug Life unless the actor offered an apology.