Kamal Haasan Gagged: Court Order Silences Actor on Kannada Language Debate After 'Thug Life' Controversy

Kamal Haasan found himself in legal crosshairs following remarks made about the Kannada language during a promotional event for his film, Thug Life, last month. The comments sparked controversy, leading to a ban of the film in Bengaluru. Despite the passage of time, the issue remains a sensitive one.

A Bengaluru civil court has now issued an ex parte interim injunction, preventing the veteran actor from making any further disparaging statements against the Kannada language or its culture.

Court Order Prohibits Defamatory Remarks

The order, issued on Friday, July 4th, comes from an Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge in response to a civil suit filed by Mahesh Joshi, President of the Kannada Sahitya Parishat (KSP). According to PTI, the petition sought legal restraint against Kamal Haasan, preventing him from delivering "defamatory remarks" about the language and its cultural heritage.

The court's directive explicitly bars Kamal Haasan from “posting, making, writing, or publishing any statement or remarks claiming linguistic superiority over the Kannada language or making any statements against the Kannada language, literature, land, and culture.”

The court has also summoned the actor to appear in person for a hearing scheduled for August 30th.

Background: Kamal Haasan's Controversial Statement

The controversy stems from Kamal Haasan's comparison of Tamil and Kannada during a Thug Life promotional event in Bengaluru in May. His statement, “Kannada was born out of Tamil,” was met with strong opposition from Kannada activists and cultural organizations. The situation escalated when Haasan declined to retract his statement or issue an apology. Consequently, Thug Life did not see a release in Karnataka, despite efforts by the production house and Kamal Haasan to appeal to the High Court.

About Thug Life

Thug Life, directed by Mani Ratnam, stars Silambarasan, Trisha Krishnan, Aishwarya Lekshmi, and others in significant roles. The film's performance at the box office was underwhelming.