Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], June 18: Karnataka Rakshana Vedike President Praveen Shetty on Wednesday clarified that the organisation is not opposing the release of actor-politician Kamal Haasan’s upcoming film Thug Life, despite past controversies over his remarks on the Kannada language.
The issue stems from Kamal Haasan’s earlier comment claiming that Kannada originated from Tamil, which triggered backlash from pro-Kannada groups. The Karnataka High Court had reportedly suggested an apology, but Haasan took the matter to the Supreme Court, which later directed the Karnataka government to ensure the film’s smooth release.
“We are not opposing the release of Thug Life. It was a simple issue. After hurting Karnataka’s sentiments, Kamal Haasan should have apologised as per the Karnataka High Court’s suggestion. Instead, he approached the Supreme Court. Now that the Supreme Court has given its order, we accept it,” Praveen Shetty told ANI.
Shetty also criticised the deployment of police to curb protests, calling it “unconstitutional” and against the law of the land.
Earlier in the day, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar appealed for calm, urging pro-Kannada groups to honour the Supreme Court directive and avoid disrupting the film’s release.
“We should all respect the order given by the court in the Kamal Haasan case. I appeal to pro-Kannada organisations not to cross any limits and remain peaceful. No one should take the law into their own hands. Our state is peace-loving,” Shivakumar said.
The controversy flared up after Haasan’s remarks stirred emotional reactions, leading to calls for a ban on the film’s screening in Karnataka. However, the Supreme Court on Tuesday demanded a response from the state within 24 hours on ensuring the film’s release.