Versatile actor Kamal Haasan has decided not to release his film Thug Life in Karnataka. At a promotional event in the state, Kamal Haasan’s controversial remark—“Kannada was born out of Tamil”—sparked backlash. The Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) and several Kannada organisations found the comment offensive and decided to ban the film.
Interestingly, Kamal Haasan is also the producer of Thug Life. He later approached the High Court, which stated that if the actor issued an apology, the issue would be resolved. However, Kamal refused to apologise, writing instead to the KFCC that his words were misinterpreted.
Karnataka is a major revenue-generating region for many Tamil films. Rajinikanth’s Jailer grossed Rs. 67 crore in Karnataka, followed by Vijay’s Leo (Rs. 41 crore), Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan-1 (Rs. 28 crore) and Kamal Haasan’s own Vikram (Rs. 22 crore). Jailer also featured Kannada superstar Shivrajkumar in a key role, which contributed to its strong performance.
By choosing not to release Thug Life in Karnataka, Kamal Haasan risks a substantial loss. If the film turns out to be a hit, the revenue from Karnataka alone could have matched or exceeded that of Vikram.
This situation could also impact theatre owners in Karnataka. Thug Life features a stellar cast including Kamal Haasan, Simbu, Trisha, Joju George, Nasser, Ahirami and Aishwarya Lekshmi. The film marks a reunion between Kamal Haasan and director Mani Ratnam after more than three decades, raising high expectations.
Kamal maintains that he said nothing wrong and will not apologise. The case is currently in court and has been adjourned to June 10. For now, audiences in Karnataka may have to wait until the issue is resolved.
