Kannada remark was ‘out of love’; not qualified to speak on language: Kamal Haasan

Hours after facing a huge backlash over his “Kannada was born out of Tamil” remark, actor turned politician Kamal Haasan clarified on Wednesday (May 28) that he made the comment “out of love”, adding that politicians including him “are not qualified” to speak on language.

‘Got lessons on language history’

The Makkal Neethi Maiam (MNM) president further stated that a “lot of language historians” have given him lessons on “language history” adding that he didn’t “mean anything.”

“What I said was out of love, and a lot of historians have taught me language history. I didn’t mean anything. Tamil Nadu is a state where a Menon, a Reddy, a Tamil, and a Kannadiga Iyengar have all been our chief ministers. Politicians, including me, are not qualified to talk about language. Let us leave these discussions to historians, archaeologists, and language experts,” Haasan said.

Also Read: ‘Poor Kamal Haasan’ unaware of Kannada’s long history, says Siddaramaiah

The backlash

Haasan drew severe flak from Karnataka politicians over his remarks made in Chennai during the audio launch of his upcoming film Thug Life. In Tamil Nadu, however, the responses were polarized.

Tamil Nadu BJP vice-president Narayanan Thirupathy criticized Haasan, stating, “Love doesn’t speak in a way that demands apologies. Is politician Kamal Haasan planning to dissolve MNM? Is he playing language politics to secure a Rajya Sabha seat with DMK?”

He further questioned, “Kamal Haasan always tries to act smart. You should not belittle any language to praise your own. Where did he learn that Kannada is born from Tamil? A celebrity like him should be more responsible. He owes an explanation.”

Conciliatory notes

Tamil Nadu BJP president Nainar Nagenthiran took a more conciliatory tone, saying, “If we research whether Kannada originated from Tamil, there will be differences of opinion, but ultimately, all languages are ours.”

DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan defended Haasan, stating, “Kamal Haasan might have quoted historical facts. It’s not his finding, nor is he insulting Kannada. When the BJP enters any issue, they talk nonsense to divide people. Nobody is against Kannada. Many Kannada speakers live in Tamil Nadu, and we respect them.”

Also read: Ask Kannada stars not to dub movies in Hindi: Sonu Nigam dares MP Surya

VCK leader Thirumavalavan supported Haasan’s claim, asserting, “Tamil is the mother of all Dravidian languages. Historians, including Caldwell, have confirmed this. It’s a proven fact.” Naam Tamilar Katchi leader Seeman echoed this, saying, “Kamal Haasan spoke the truth. Those who oppose it don’t know history.”

In support of Kamal

PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss, too, emphasized Tamil’s antiquity, stating, “Tamil is the world’s oldest language, predating Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Sanskrit, Arabic, and Mandarin. Research confirms that Dravidian languages, including Kannada, originated from Tamil. A daughter cannot be older than her mother.”

He added, “Kannada has its own merits. Tamil was declared a classical language in 2004, followed by Kannada and Telugu in 2008. All languages should be celebrated for their heritage, and controversies based on language must be avoided.”

Also read: ‘Love bigger than ego’: Sonu Nigam apologises for Kannada-Pahalgam remark

Karnataka leaders furious

Earlier in the day, leaders from both the ruling Congress and Opposition BJP in Karnataka accused Haasan of being ignorant about the history of Kannada and insulting the language and the people of the state.

While Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah remarked that “poor Kamal Haasan” was not aware of the long history of Kannada, state BJP chief BY Vijayendra lambasted the actor over his remarks and demanded an “unconditional apology” from him.

“Kannada has been a prominent language in many parts of the world, including India, for centuries. The fact that Kannada is the most respected language in the world should be known to narrow-minded people like Kamal Haasan” stated Vijayendra in a post on X.

“Kamal Haasan, who is supposed to bring harmony to South India, has been continuously insulting Hinduism and hurting religious sentiments for the past few years,” he added.

Also Read: ‘Kannada born out of Tamil’: Kamal Haasan sparks row with remark; 'apologise', says BJP

Protests in Karnataka

The issue snowballed with pro-Kannada groups burning Haasan’s posters in protest against his remarks. A film association also mulled a possible ban on the release of his upcoming film Thug Life, directed by eminent filmmaker Mani Ratnam.

A pro-Kannada organisation, Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, even lodged a complaint against Haasan with Bengaluru Police over his remarks. They also staged protests against him in several places in Karnataka including Belagavi, Mysuru, Hubballi, and Bengaluru.