Kamal Haasan responds to Kannada language row; says his ‘statement was made out of love’ : Bollywood News

Veteran actor and filmmaker Kamal Haasan has responded to the backlash sparked by his recent remarks on the Kannada language. The controversy began during a Thug Life event where Haasan, while sharing a light moment with co-star Shiva Rajkumar, stated in jest that “Kannada was born out of Tamil.” The statement, though made casually, did not sit well with many in Karnataka, including political leaders who demanded an apology.

Kamal Haasan responds to Kannada language row; says his ‘statement was made out of love’

Addressing the controversy during a press interaction in Kerala, Kamal Haasan clarified that his comments were not intended to offend anyone. He said, “What I said was said out of love and a lot of historians have taught me language history. I didn’t mean anything.” He went on to explain that Tamil Nadu has a long-standing history of inclusivity and diversity in leadership and stated, “Tamil Nadu is a state where a Menon has been our Chief Minister, where a Reddy has been our Chief Minister, a Tamil has been our Chief Minister, and a Kannadiga Iyengar has been our Chief Minister”.

Stressing the importance of leaving complex discussions about language origins to experts, the Vikram actor added, “Politicians are not qualified to talk about language. They don’t have the qualifications to talk about it, including me. Let us leave all these very in-depth discussions to historians, archaeologists and language experts.”

The clarification comes after many including Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah publicly criticised Haasan’s original remark, saying, "Kannada has a long-standing history. Poor Kamal Haasan, he is unaware of it."

Kamal Haasan’s comments had triggered heated reactions across Karnataka, with many political figures and social media users accusing the actor of linguistic insensitivity. His latest response, however, attempts to put the matter to rest by highlighting the need for informed discourse on cultural and historical subjects.

With Thug Life set to be one of the most anticipated South Indian films, featuring stars from multiple states, Kamal Haasan’s clarification may help smooth over regional tensions as the film moves forward.

Also Read: Thug Life: Ali Fazal calls Kamal Haasan a global icon of storytelling; says, “To share the screen with is an honour”