Kamal Haasan reacts to Kannada row: 'Politicians not qualified to talk about language'

Kamal Haasan

Actor and politician Kamal Haasan, who sparked a massive row over his comment on the Kannada language, has now responded to the controversy surrounding his recent comments about the origins of the Kannada language, saying his words were misinterpreted and spoken “out of love".

"What I said was said 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 has been our Chief Minister, where a Reddy has been our Chief Minister, a Tamil has been our CM, and a Kannadiga Iyengar has been our Chief Minister, " clarified Haasan

The controversy began during the audio launch of Kamal Haasan’s upcoming film Thug Life in Chennai, where the actor had claimed that “Tamil gave birth to Kannada."

His remarks drew sharp criticism from pro-Kannada groups in Karnataka, who accused Haasan of insulting the Kannada language and culture. Some groups even issued threats against him.

Earlier today, the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, a prominent pro-Kannada organisation led by Praveen Shetty, lodged a police complaint in Bengaluru against the actor. In the complaint, the group alleged that Haasan’s “controversial statement" had hurt the sentiments of Kannadigas, created discord between Tamils and Kannadigas, and insulted the Kannada-speaking community.