A viral video shot in Mumbai as part of a vox pop survey has sparked intense debates about language identity in Bengaluru. The video shows a man asking random people about the official language of Bengaluru, but surprisingly, none of the responses mentioned Kannada. Instead, passersby cited languages like Hindi, English, Malayalam, and Tamil.
The video quickly gained traction on social media, drawing strong reactions from Kannadigas, many of whom expressed frustration at what they see as a diminishing recognition of their language in Karnataka’s capital. One user commented, “Kannadigas have learned Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi to respect and accommodate others, but in return, they are being sidelined in their own land. The minority outsiders have made their languages more dominant, dishonoring Kannada.”
Others pointed to a long-standing misconception that Hindi is India’s national language. “People are raised with the idea that Hindi is the national language. South India has often been stereotyped as either ‘Madrasis’ (Tamils) or ‘Communists’ (Malayalis), and now Telugu has gained recognition due to popular films. Kannada remains unheard of,” wrote another user.
Some expressed deeper concerns about the future of Kannada, with one post lamenting, “The damage is irreparable. The current generation is beyond reach. A dedicated group should work towards creating a new generation of proud Kannadigas to preserve the language.”
This viral video has reignited discussions about linguistic pride and the need to preserve Kannada amid growing cultural and linguistic diversity in Bengaluru.
Read also: