Kamal Haasan is unaware of the history of Kannada, said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today, after a remark by the Tamil megastar snowballed into a wider language controversy. His response came after Mr Haasan, who heads a fledgling political party in Tamil Nadu, said that Kannada was “born out of” the Tamil language.
“Kannada has a long-standing history. Poor Kamal Haasan, he is unaware of it,” said Siddaramaiah, rebutting the Makkal Needhi Maiam founder, who is yet to prove his political prowess despite having fought several elections since 2019.
Mr Haasan had made the remark at an event in Chennai weeks before the release of his film Thug Life, inviting criticism from pro-Kannada groups. Kannada actor Shivarajkumar was also present at the event.
The actor-politician began his speech with a Tamil phrase that translates to “my life and my family is the Tamil language”. “This is my family in that place. That’s why he (Shivarajkumar) has come here. That’s why I began my speech by saying life, relationship, and Tamil. Your language (Kannada) was born out of Tamil, so you too are included (part of it),” he had said.
Demanding an apology from Mr Haasan, Karnataka BJP chief Vijayendra Yediyurappa said that it reflected an “uncultured behaviour”. Calling it the “height of arrogance”, he said that artists must be “cultured” enough to respect every language.
“It is the height of arrogance that an actor @ikamalhaasan who has acted in many Indian languages, including Kannada, has insulted Kannada by including actor Shivarajkumar in the glorification of his Tamil language,” said Mr Yediyurappa.
Mr Haasan has forgotten the generosity of the Kannadigas and has become ungrateful despite having acted in Kannada films, he said. He is not a historian to conclude which language gave birth to which language, added the BJP leader.
Praveen Shetty, leader of pro-Kannada group Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, threatened to ban his film in Karnataka if he continues talking against Kannada and the Kannadigas.
Thug Life will hit the screens on June 5.
