Today, On 13th June, The Karnataka High Court, during the hearing on the ‘Thug Life’ controversy, asked, “Has Kamal Haasan not apologised yet?” The Court sought a status update on the Supreme Court proceedings and the actor’s response.
Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Friday reviewed a petition concerning the release of the Tamil film Thug Life, starring Kamal Haasan.
Justice Nagaprasanna questioned whether the actor had apologized for his controversial remarks, asking,
“Has Kamal Haasan not apologised yet? What happened to the Supreme Court hearing?”
In response, Kamal Haasan’s counsel informed the court that the actor had not yet issued an apology and that the Supreme Court had sent a notice to the Karnataka government regarding the matter.
During the hearing, a petition from the Kannada Sahitya Parishat sought permission to present their arguments.
Senior Advocate S Basavaraj, representing the Parishat, stated,
“Kamal Haasan made a stupid statement,”
And further asserted that,
“The terms ‘Karnataka’ and ‘Kannada’ are deeply rooted in ancient texts and traditions.”
The counsel for Raajkamal Films, the production company founded by the actor, objected to the term “stupid,” arguing that it was offensive and that they would file objections to the Parishat’s petition.
The advocate for the Kannada Sahitya Parishat expressed regret over the use of the term.
The court adjourned the hearing to June 20 and reiterated its previous directive prohibiting the film’s release until further orders.
Justice Nagaprasanna also urged all parties involved to exercise restraint and discretion.
This situation arose after Kamal Haasan remarked during a promotional event that “Kannada was born out of Tamil,” which caused significant backlash and a boycott of his film in Karnataka.
During the earlier hearing Single-judge Justice M. Nagaprasanna remarked that Haasan’s comment has offended the sentiments of Kannadigas and urged the actor to apologize to alleviate the situation.
Earlier, The Karnataka High Court has cautioned Tamil Nadu actor and politician Kamal Haasan against misusing his right to free speech in a way that could offend people’s sentiments
The Court also questioned Haasan on whether he considered himself a historian or a linguist to make such a statement.
Case Title: Raajkamal Films Internationl AND State of Karnataka & Others