Kamal Haasan refuses to budge, says won’t apologise; holds back the release of Thug Life

Bengaluru: In the face of mounting criticism over his claim that the Kannada language was “born out of Tamil,” actor Kamal Haasan told the Karnataka high court on Tuesday that he will not be releasing his next movie, Thug Life, in Karnataka “for now.” He claimed that he had “nothing to apologise for.”

The Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) has demanded an apology and banned the film’s screening in the state. Haasan’s attorney, senior advocate Dhyan Chinappa, told a bench of Justice M Nagaprasanna that the actor and his production company, Raajkamal Films International, have decided to delay the film’s release in the state until at least they have a “dialogue” with the state.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka High Court on Tuesday strongly criticised the actor and observed that a “single apology could have resolved the situation.”

Justice Nagaprasanna, who presided over the hearing, said that the statement had hurt the sentiments of the people of Karnataka and questioned Haasan’s refusal to offer an apology.

“Language is an emotional and cultural identity of a people,” and stressed that no individual has the right to make comments that undermine the pride of an entire linguistic community, the court observed.

Justice Nagaprasanna remarked: “Are you a historian or a linguist to make such a statement? No language is born out of another. A single apology could have resolved the situation.”

Pointing out that C Rajagopalachari made a similar statement but apologised for it, he said, “....If Rajagopalachari could tender a public apology 75 years ago, why can’t you (Kamal Haasan)? For your commercial interest, you have approached this court seeking police protection for a situation created by you,” the judge said.