A local court on Friday issued an ex-parte interim injunction restraining actor and politician Kamal Haasan from making any further remarks against the Kannada language, culture, or heritage.
The order specifically prohibits Haasan from posting, speaking, writing, or publishing any statements that claim linguistic superiority over Kannada or disparage its literature, land, or cultural identity.
This directive was passed by an Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge after considering a civil suit filed by the Kannada Sahitya Parishat (KSP) through its president Mahesh Joshi. The organisation argued that Haasan’s recent comments were defamatory and deeply offensive to the sentiments of Kannada-speaking people.
The controversy erupted when Haasan, during a promotional event for his upcoming film Thug Life, claimed that “Kannada was born out of Tamil.” His remarks quickly triggered widespread backlash from pro-Kannada groups and cultural bodies, who accused him of undermining the historical and linguistic identity of Kannada.
The court also directed the issuance of a summons to Kamal Haasan and scheduled the matter for further hearing on August 30.
The interim order will remain in effect until the next hearing or until further instructions are issued by the court.