Kamal Haasan has probably touched a raw nerve with his remarks on the origin of the Kannada language.

In the already simmering war that has gripped Karnataka, the Tamil superstar has added fuel to the fire by saying "Kannada is born out of Tamil", as a result of which pro-Kannada civil groups and Karnataka BJP groups are breathing fire.

State BJP president Vijayendra Yediyurappa has criticised the actor's conduct as "uncultured" and accused him of disrespecting the Kannada language. In a long post on X, the BJP leader said that artists must uphold the ideal of respecting all languages. He called Haasan “deeply arrogant” for inviting Kannada actor Shivarajkumar into a celebration that exclusively glorified Tamil.

https://x.com/BYVijayendra/status/1927372074802204945

Speaking at the audio launch of his latest film ‘Thug Life’ in Chennai, Haasan expressed his deep love and pride for the Tamil language with the phrase 'Uyire Urave Tamizhe.' He then emphasised that since Kannada originated from Tamil, it too is part of that heritage.

Kannada Rakshana Vedike leader Praveen Shetty also slammed Hasaan, threatening him with continued protests and a ban on his new film if he continues to talk against Kannadigas and the Karnataka language.

According to media reports, pro-Kannada activists reportedly tore down movie posters in Bengaluru. The actor was scheduled to visit Bengaluru to promote ‘Thug Life’. They claimed they had gathered with black ink with an intention to smear his face as a form of protest. However, Haasan reportedly cancelled his appearance in light of the backlash and ongoing demonstrations.

Tamil Nadu BJP vice president Narayanan Thirupathy also opposed Hasaan's remark and clarified that both Kannada and Tamil are sister languages. "Kamal Haasan has always been acting smart. You cannot belittle a language just to praise your own language. From where did Kamal Haasan learn that Kannada is born from Tamil?", Thirupathy told reporters.

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah too, condemned Kamal Haasan for his remark that Kannada was born out of Tamil. “Kannada has a long-standing history. Poor Kamal Haasan, he is unaware of it,” the CM said.

In a separate development, Hasaan has finalised a poll deal with Tamil Nadu’s ruling DMK for a seat in Rajya Sabha following vacancies caused by the terms of M Shanmugam, M Mohamed Abdullah and P Wilson (all from DMK), Vaiko (MDMK) and Anbumani coming to an end.