Bengaluru Court Gag Order Silences Kamal Haasan on Kannada Language Remarks

Kamal Haasan found himself in legal crosshairs following a controversial remark he made about the Kannada language during a promotional event for his film, Thug Life, last month. His comments ignited a furor, leading to calls for a ban on the film in Bengaluru.

Even after a month, the controversy surrounding his statement continues to resonate. A civil court in Bengaluru has now issued an ex parte interim injunction, effectively preventing the veteran actor from making any further disparaging remarks against the Kannada language or its culture.

Legal Restraint on Defamatory Posts

The order was passed on Friday by an Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge in response to a civil suit filed by Mahesh Joshi, President of the Kannada Sahitya Parishat (KSP). According to PTI, the petition sought legal intervention to restrain Kamal Haasan from making "defamatory remarks" regarding the language and its cultural roots.

The court's directive specifically prohibits Kamal Haasan from “posting, making, writing, or publishing any statement or remarks claiming linguistic superiority over the Kannada language or making any statements against the Kannada language, literature, land, and culture.”

The court has summoned the actor to appear in person for the next hearing, scheduled for August 30.

Haasan's Controversial Remarks

The controversy stems from Kamal Haasan's comparison of Tamil and Kannada during a Thug Life promotional event in Bengaluru in May. His statement that “Kannada was born out of Tamil” was met with strong opposition from Kannada activists and cultural organizations. The situation escalated when Haasan declined to retract his statement or offer an apology. As a result, Thug Life was not released in Karnataka, despite efforts by the production house and Kamal Haasan to appeal to the High Court.

About Thug Life

Thug Life, directed by Mani Ratnam, features Silambarasan, Trisha Krishnan, Aishwarya Lekshmi, and other prominent actors. The film, unfortunately, did not perform well at the box office.