A promotional event in Chennai for the film 'Thug Life' turned into a debate over linguistic supremacy. This time, it's not about Hindi. During the promotion, former Hindi film superstar Kamal Haasan, spoke in Tamil: "Uyire Urave Tamile," meaning "My life and my family are Tamil language." Pointing towards Kannada actor Shivrajkumar on stage, he said, 'You are my family in Karnataka. You came here when I started my speech, saying my life and family are Tamil. Your language (Kannada) is born from Tamil and thus, you are a part of it.' This statement was seen as an insult to Kannada language and culture in Karnataka, sparking protests.
Outrage Erupts in Karnataka
Kamal Haasan's remark united politically opposing Congress and BJP in Karnataka. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah commented, "Kannada has a long history. Poor Kamal Haasan is unaware of it." Karnataka BJP president B.Y. Vijayendra tweeted, "One must love their mother tongue, but showing disrespect in its name is uncouth. It is the height of arrogance from Kamal Haasan, who acted in many Indian languages, to insult Kannada." Several organizations warned that his film 'Thug Life' would not release in Karnataka if he did not apologize.
DMK Secures Rajya Sabha Ticket
Kamal Haasan has sharpened the politics of language in recent days. His advocacy on language is well known. With DMK's support, he secured a Rajya Sabha seat, and recently, on another occasion, suggested learning neighboring state languages first over Hindi. During 'Thug Life' promotions, he emphasized, "Our first responsibility is ensuring our language does not get extinct. Imagine the courage to come here and say, we all are Dravidians, do not forget... we dedicate our family." Before the heat from the Tamil vs. Kannada issue could subside, DMK announced Haasan as their Rajya Sabha candidate, a significant move tied to last year's Lok Sabha election deal. India Today reported his candidacy as a pivotal moment in his political journey, joining senior advocate P. Wilson and writer-activist Salma in the upper house, providing DMK legal, cultural, and diverse representation in Delhi.
Since launching Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) in 2018, Kamal Haasan unsuccessfully contested two elections. In 2024, he allied with DMK for Lok Sabha elections, campaigning across Tamil Nadu. A.S. Panneerselvan, a senior journalist, noted, unlike actor Vijay, who might step away from cinema for politics, Haasan is advancing in both arenas. His Rajya Sabha seat offers a prominent platform in national politics without leaving the film industry. DMK plans to leverage his cinematic and political capital in the 2026 assembly elections.
This way, Kamal Haasan gained Delhi's stage, while DMK acquired an actor's cinematic capital.
Clarification but No Apology
Amid controversy, actor-politician Kamal Haasan explained his stance. "What I said was out of affection. Many historians taught me about language and history. I meant no harm." Haasan stated, "Politicians aren't qualified to discuss language; they lack education on it, myself included. Let's leave such deep discussions to historians, archaeologists, and linguists. We are a family, and so are languages." On Friday, the actor insisted he'd apologize when wrong, believing this isn't the case now, which reflects his lifestyle, urging no interference. He remarked, "India is a democratic country, and I believe in law and justice." This signifies his readiness to ride on the emotional appeal of Tamil pride in future politics.
The History of Linguistic Emergence
Amid debates on whether Kannada emerged from Tamil, South First talked to authors on the subject. Kannada writer and Development Authority Chairman Purushottam Bilimale discussed Kannada and Tamil's origins. He highlighted that, "Many researched the origin of Dravidian languages, with colonial scholars like Robert Caldwell referenced worldwide, including language experts." Initially, a Dravidian language center at Annamalai University identified 130 languages under Dravidian languages.
Bilimale added, "Previously, we identified five Dravidian languages - Tamil, Tulu, Kannada, Telugu, and Malayalam, known as 'Panch' Dravidian languages. Now, significant research on tribal languages further identified over 130 Dravidian group languages." Stating about 4,000 years ago, these five were one - Proto-Dravidian, expressing, "The relationship between Kannada, Tamil, and Telugu is more of siblings, not mother-daughter. Kannada didn't stem from Tamil, but people assert linguistic supremacy, playing politics around language."
