Veteran actor Kamal Haasan has spoken out strongly against the imposition of Hindi in southern India, aligning himself with states that have resisted the move. &ldquo;I stand with Punjab. I stand with Karnataka. I stand with Andhra,&rdquo; he said, responding to the ongoing language row with clarity and resolve.
The remarks come amid controversy surrounding his latest pan-India film Thug Life, the 234th project in his illustrious 65-year career. The film released in theatres this week but was notably absent from Karnataka&rsquo;s screens following backlash over an earlier comment by Haasan, in which he stated that Kannada originated from Tamil&mdash;a remark that triggered widespread anger. The actor refused to apologise, prompting the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) to withhold the film&rsquo;s release in the state.
Haasan, however, stood firm on his broader linguistic stance. &ldquo;Without imposition, we will learn. Don&rsquo;t impose. This is ultimately about education, and we must take the shortest route to it&mdash;not place hurdles in the way,&rdquo; he said, advocating for freedom of language choice.
The DMK government in his home state of Tamil Nadu has long opposed the three-language policy under the National Education Policy (NEP), accusing the BJP-led Centre of attempting to impose Hindi across non-Hindi-speaking regions&mdash;an allegation the government has consistently denied.
Emphasising that forcing a particular language only hampers learning, the 70-year-old actor argued that practical, globally relevant language skills should take precedence. &ldquo;If we are truly aiming for international breakthroughs, we must learn a language that serves that purpose. English seems fair enough. One can also learn Spanish or Chinese. But English offers the shortest route, with 350 years of steady development in education. Replacing it suddenly with Hindi risks making many, especially in Tamil Nadu, functionally illiterate.&rdquo;
Haasan further questioned the Centre&rsquo;s approach: &ldquo;When you push Hindi and say jobs won&rsquo;t be available beyond the Vindhyas without it, you make people wonder&mdash;what happened to the promises? What about my language? Am I not one of the 22 recognised languages? These are valid concerns.&rdquo;
The KFCC had demanded an apology before allowing Thug Life to be screened in Karnataka. In response, Haasan&rsquo;s production house, Raajkamal Films International, approached the Karnataka High Court seeking protection. However, following the court&rsquo;s criticism over the controversial comment, the producers decided not to release the film in the state.

KFCC demanded an apology for Thug Life to release in Karnataka (File Photo)

Haasan stood firm, stating, without imposition, we will learn; education should not be hindered

'I Stand with Karnataka': Haasan on Language Row

Haasan stood firm, stating, without imposition, we will learn; education should not be hindered

June 8, 2025 | 15:08 IST

Leave a Comment :