Udupi – Tamil actor Kamal Haasan has sparked widespread outrage among Kannadigas following his controversial claim that the Kannada language originated from Tamil. The remark has triggered intense backlash, with protests erupting across Karnataka over the past two days.
In Udupi, the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (Narayana Gowda faction) staged a demonstration in front of the Martyrs’ Memorial at Ajjarkad, voicing strong opposition to Haasan’s statement. Protesters raised slogans demanding an immediate public apology from the actor. They issued a stern warning that his upcoming film “Thug Life”, slated for release on June 5, will be blocked from releasing in Karnataka if he fails to withdraw his statement and express regret.
Karave Udupi district president Prabhakar Poojary condemned Haasan’s comments as derogatory and factually incorrect, asserting that the actor had insulted the legacy and dignity of Kannada language and culture. “Such baseless remarks have deeply hurt the sentiments of Kannadigas. Instead of acknowledging his mistake, Kamal Haasan appears to be exhibiting arrogance,” Poojary said.
He called upon the film’s distributors to reconsider their plans and urged them to engage with the issue to protect their investment. The protestors emphasized that any continued silence or defiance from the actor would result in statewide resistance against the movie’s screening.
This controversy adds to the long-standing linguistic sensitivities between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, once again igniting a heated debate around cultural pride and historical claims.
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