The smoldering politics over language, fanned by the government’s push for Hindi, reached a nucleation point on Wednesday when actors Ajay Devgn and Kiccha Sudeep sparred in a Twitter feud over what is the country’s national language.
Hindi was, is, and will always be our mother tongue and national language, Bollywood actor Devgn tweeted in Hindi in a response to Kannada star Sudeep’s recent comments where he pointed out Hindi was not India’s national language.
"Everyone says that a Kannada film was made on a pan-India level but a small correction is that Hindi is not a national language anymore," Sudeep said while talking about the spectacular success of Yash’s KGF 2.
He also added that Bollywood movies that are being made keeping the pan-India sentiment in mind seldom find the raging success that Telugu or Tamil movies get.
Then came Ajay Devgn’s misinformed tweet.
"Kiccha Sudeep my brother, according to you if Hindi is not our national language then why do you release your mother tongue movies by dubbing them in Hindi? Hindi was, is and always will be our mother tongue and national language. Jan Gan Man," he tweeted in Hindi.
It is to be noted that Hindi is not India’s national language, and is one of the 22 official languages of the country that includes Hindi, English, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Odia, Assamese and Bengali among a string of others.
Devgn also ends his tweet with the national anthem “Jana Gana Mana” which incidentally was also written in Bengali, not Hindi, by Bengali Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore.
Sudeep’s response to Devgn came soon after where he said that his comments were not to “hurt, provoke or start any debate”.
Hello @ajaydevgn sir.. the context to why i said tat line is entirely different to the way I guess it has reached you. Probably wil emphasis on why the statement was made when I see you in person. It wasnt to hurt,Provoke or to start any debate. Why would I sir https://t.co/w1jIugFid6— Kichcha Sudeepa (@KicchaSudeep) April 27, 2022
Devgn replied, again, thanking him for clearing up the “misunderstanding”.
Sudeep reverted saying that it would have been a happy moment if Devgn’s tweet was about a creative reason instead of this.
Translation & interpretations are perspectives sir. Tats the reason not reacting wothout knowing the complete matter,,,matters.:)
I don't blame you @ajaydevgn sir. Perhaps it would have been a happy moment if i had received a tweet from u for a creative reason.
Luv&Regards https://t.co/lRWfTYfFQi— Kichcha Sudeepa (@KicchaSudeep) April 27, 2022
“And sir Ajay Devgn, I did understand the text you sent in Hindi. That’s only coz we all have respected, loved and learnt Hindi. No offense sir, but was wondering what'd the situation be if my response was typed in Kannada! Don't we too belong to India sir,” Sudeep, a huge star in south Indian movies who has also worked in Bollywood tweeted that garnered over 1,20,000 likes.
And sir @ajaydevgn ,,
I did understand the txt you sent in hindi. Tats only coz we all have respected,loved and learnt hindi.
No offense sir,,,but was wondering what'd the situation be if my response was typed in kannada.!!
Don't we too belong to India sir.— Kichcha Sudeepa (@KicchaSudeep) April 27, 2022
"Hindi was never and will never be our National Language. It is the duty of every Indian to respect linguistic diversity of our country," he said in a tweet.
Many Twitter users called out Devgn for his misinformed tweet as well. The actor has also been at the centre of a social media storm surrounding the endorsement of gutkha which many pointed out is irresponsible for stars to do as they have a social responsibility. Many slammed him with memes over the endorsement.
Muh mein jo gutkha advertize karta hai, woh daal aur chup baith. Please.— Pramit (@pramitheus) April 27, 2022
What @ajaydevgn has actually done now.. pic.twitter.com/GUkhKmanFU— JR (@Nomadic_JR) April 27, 2022
Please respect your bio hai…pic.twitter.com/jK1uEUK3vk— Madan Gowri (@madan3) April 27, 2022
