.jpg?w=480&auto=format%2Ccompress&fit=max)
A clip of actor Kichcha Sudeep correcting a journalist’s pronunciation of the word Kannada, has gone viral online. When the journalist says ‘Kannad’ instead of ‘Kannada’, Sudeep corrects her. “How Hindi is not pronounced as Hind, Kannada also cannot be pronounced as Kannad,” Sudeep said. When the journalist laughed it off and said that she is learning, Sudeep said, “Forget learning the language, at least know the right name of the language. You pronounce the names of Tamil and Telugu correctly but when it comes to Kannada, you say Kannad.”
This comes months after Sudeep said in an event that it is not just the Kannada film industry making pan-Indian films today, but it is the other way around since Bollywood is doing pan-Indian films by releasing their movies in south Indian languages. The Vikrant Rona actor was speaking about it in the context of films like RRR and KGF which have had a successful run in the Hindi belt. “You said that a pan-India film was made in Kannada. I’d like to make a small correction. Hindi is no more a national language. They (Bollywood) are doing pan-India films today. They are struggling (to find success) by dubbing in Telugu and Tamil, but it’s not happening. Today we are making films that are going everywhere,” Sudeep had said.
Kichcha Sudeep’s comment had sparked a tussle between him and Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn, who tweeted saying that Hindi is the national language (it is not). “My brother, if according to you Hindi is not our national language then why do you release your movies in your mother tongue by dubbing them in Hindi? Hindi was, is and always will be our mother tongue and national language. Jan Gan Man,” Ajay Devgn’s tweet read.
Dear North Indians, its not Kannad. It is #Kannada pic.twitter.com/xHgJucqTwa
— ಕನ್ನಡಾಭಿಮಾನಿ - Kannadabhimani (@kannadabhimanik) August 2, 2022
Shortly after Ajay Devgn's tweets, Kichcha replied that the context of his remark was different, and that he respects every language. He also added that he wants this matter to be laid to rest. In addition, he also asked what the situation would have been if he too had tweeted in Kannada, as Ajay had tweeted in Hindi. “And sir @ajaydevgn I did understand the text you sent in hindi. Tats only coz we all have respected,loved and learnt hindi. No offense sir,,,but was wondering what'd the situation be if my response was typed in kannada.!! Don't we too belong to India sir (sic),” one of Sudeep’s tweets read.
Ajay replied: “You are a friend. Thanks for clearing up the misunderstanding. I’ve always thought of the film industry as one. We respect all languages and we expect everyone to respect our language as well. Perhaps, something was lost in translation.”
