Full-time actor and part-time politician Kamal Haasan has found himself at the center of a new controversy after stating at a public event in Chennai that, “Kannada originated from Tamil.” The comment sparked strong reactions, particularly from Karnataka, where political leaders and the public alike condemned the remark as insensitive and historically inaccurate.
Responding to the backlash, Haasan attempted to clarify his statement, calling it an expression of affection rather than a definitive claim. He urged that complex and sensitive issues such as language origins should be left to experts in the field.
“What I said was out of love, and a lot of historians have taught me language history. I didn’t mean anything,” Haasan explained. He acknowledged that political figures, including himself, lack the academic background to make authoritative statements on linguistic history and should defer to scholars, archaeologists, and linguists for such discussions.
Haasan also cited Tamil Nadu’s inclusive political past, noting that leaders of various ethnic and linguistic backgrounds—such as MG Ramachandran (a Menon), Omandur Ramasamy Reddiyar (a Reddy), M. Karunanidhi (a Tamil), and J. Jayalalithaa (a Kannadiga Iyengar)—have all served as Chief Ministers. “This state has never been narrow in its outlook,” he said.
He added, “So the people will take care of Thug Life, Kamal Haasan and all these controversies. Politicians are not qualified to talk about language, they don’t have the education enough to talk about it, that includes me. So let’s leave all these very in-depth discussions to historians, archaeologists and language experts. Both those who criticize me for this statement of love, I spoke to Mr Shivanna, his father is like my father, elder brother, whatever you call it, we are a family, and so are the languages. If you look at it from the northern point of view, yes what they say, according to them is right. If you look at it from ‘then-Kumari’, then what I said is right. There is a third angle to it, that is what I said, the scholars and language experts, they will say both are right, but they must decide where they want to belong, with their family or the languages that came from the north. That’s up to you; it’s a democratic country. This is not an answer, this is an explanation. Love will never apologize, thank you.”
WTH he means by the language from the North? pic.twitter.com/ObqeKyBKN2
— Vishwatma 🇮🇳 ( மோடியின் குடும்பம் ) (@HLKodo) May 28, 2025
This comes at a time when Kamal Haasan is also planning to release the film Thug Life in Hindi!
The fallout from Haasan’s initial remarks was swift. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah criticized him, saying the statement ignored Kannada’s rich and ancient heritage. “Kamal Haasan appears unaware of Kannada’s deep historical roots,” Siddaramaiah said.
Karnataka Congress MLA Rizwan Arshad also condemned the comment, questioning the need for such a divisive discussion. “At a time when the country needs unity, it’s disappointing to see such statements being made. Kannada and Tamil are both ancient and integral to our cultural fabric,” he said.
BJP Karnataka state president BY Vijayendra was even more scathing, accusing Haasan of insulting the Kannada language and undermining the pride of over 6.5 crore Kannadigas. Protests erupted in Belagavi, where members of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike gathered outside an INOX cinema to demand an apology from the actor.
In contrast, the DMK came to Haasan’s defense. Party spokesperson TKS Elangovan criticized the BJP for politicizing the issue and attempting to incite division by misinterpreting historical context. Elangovan argued that Haasan’s comment was likely based on a historical reference rather than personal bias, and emphasized the importance of focusing on how languages are used and evolve, rather than debating their origins.
(With inputs from ANI)
Subscribe to our channels on Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.