Bengaluru Court Restrains Kamal Haasan Over Alleged Defamatory Remarks Against Kannada Language After Film Controversy

Kamal Haasan's recent remarks about the Kannada language during a promotional event for his film Thug Life have resulted in legal action. The controversy, which erupted last month, led to calls for a ban on the film in Bengaluru. Even after a month of public discourse, the issue remains a sensitive one.

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

The injunction, issued by an Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge on Friday, comes in response to a civil suit filed by Mahesh Joshi, the President of the Kannada Sahitya Parishat (KSP). According to PTI, the petition seeks to legally restrain Kamal Haasan from making any "defamatory remarks" about the language and its cultural heritage.

The court order specifically 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 on August 30.

Origins of the Controversy

The controversy stems from Kamal Haasan's comments made during a promotional event for Thug Life in Bengaluru in May. During the event, Kamal Haasan stated that “Kannada was born out of Tamil,” a statement that 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. Thug Life ultimately did not see a release in Karnataka, despite efforts from the production house and Kamal Haasan himself to appeal to the High Court.

About Thug Life

Thug Life, directed by Mani Ratnam, features a star-studded cast including Silambarasan, Trisha Krishnan, and Aishwarya Lekshmi. The film, however, has underperformed at the box office.