Kamal Haasan is unwilling to apologise for his controversial comments on how Kannada was derived from his mother tongue Tamil. The language row, which continues to be an undercurrent issue in the country, doesn't seem to be nearing its end.
He is playing a thug in Thug Life, whose release appears to be in limbo, at least in Karnataka. The Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) on Thursday threatened to ban the film over his comments.
The much anticipated Tamil film is more than a prestige project, it's a homecoming too. It reunites him with his Nayakan director Mani Ratnam after almost 40 years.
But Haasan is no stranger to controversy. He was criticised for one of his earlier films, Thevar Magan, in 1992 for allegedly equating violence with the Thevar community. It went to earn five National Film Awards, including Best Feature Film in Tamil.
His superhit 2004 movie Virumaandi was also caught in the crosshairs with political parties over its previous title 'Sandiyar' which Dr K Krishnasamy, leader of Pudhiya Tamizhagam, believed was allegedly derogatory and would encourage caste-related violence.
Dasavathaaram (2008) also angered Hindu groups for hurting sentiments.
Years later came the first part of Vishwaroopam. Written, directed by, and starring Haasan, the movie was the subject of multiple controversies. The release of the 2013 film was stalled, even faced a two-week ban despite CBFC approval, in Tamil Nadu citing potential law and order issues and its alleged anti-Muslim content. After several Muslims groups protested against the film, the actor had organised a special film screening for them.
After a two week-long standoff between the actor and the Muslim groups in Tamil Nadu, the Madras High Court lifted the ban on the film by allowing it to release on February 7, 2013, days after it already released in other states.
If you think Haasan would have appeased the majority by othering the minority, think again.
Members of the Hindu Makkal Katchi, a right-wing organisation, had also filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against the actor for his alleged derogatory remarks on Hindus and the epic Mahabharata.
In an interview with a Tamil channel, as quoted by The Indian Express, Haasan had said, "In Mahabharata, Panchali was used as a pawn while the men gambled... She was used as a collateral and India is a country that respects and honours a book that revolves around men using a woman to gamble away as if she was a mere object."
Eventually, the dust settled and the odds turned out to be in Haasan's favour. The film grossed Rs 220 crore in reported earnings. It won two awards in Best Art Direction and Best Choreography at the 60th National Film Awards in 2013.
Four years later, he once again rubbed the ring-wing organisations the wrong way.
In an article for Tamil magazine Ananda Vikatan, Haasan accused Hindu groups of converting state festivals into a muscle flexing activity.
"There is Hindu extremism in Tamil Nadu, and you cannot say there is no Hindu terror," he wrote.
BJP party spokesperson Narayanan Tirupati said Haasan should steer clear of making sweeping statements and instead speak on corruption in the film industry.
Then again in 2019, Haasan invited the ire of Hindu nationalists when he said "independent India's first extremist was a Hindu". The actor, whose political party Makkal Needhi Maiyam made its debut in the 2019 general elections, defended his remarks, stating he only spoke about what was a "historic truth".
Years before he sparked controversy with his comments referring to Nathuram Godse, Haasan was called out by various political parties for his revisionist period drama film Hey Ram for an alleged negative depiction of Gandhi and certain lines spoken by him.
In the movie, also starring Haasan and directed by him, Haasan played a man called Saket Ram who is tasked with killing Gandhi but ultimately chooses not to.
In his defence, Haasan spoke about using artistic liberty with the film after facing allegations of hurting people's sentiments.
Even then, Haasan, the multihyphenate that he is, possessed the ability to smell trouble.
"I keep walking into trouble. But I sleep peacefully with myself. That's my problem. I can't keep my conscience aside. This fellow wakes me up each night to ask me questions. Sometimes I don't have the right answers. I end up looking sheepish in front of him," he said in an interview to Subhash K Jha.
The actor has often blended cinema and politics, so much so that he ended up taking the political plunge. He might be in the middle of a controversy right now but according to his track record, he has managed to wiggle out of prickly situations.
June 5, 2025 is the release day of Thug Life, on which Haasan is a co-producer with Ratnam and Udayanidhi Stalin of Red Giant Pictures.
The actor and filmmaker have been criticised for his kiss with much younger actor Abhirami and a suggestive dialogue he says to Trisha's character in the film's trailer.
Haasan's comments have landed him and his film in trouble once again but let's not forget, he has also invested money in the film. The creative multihyphenate is also a sharp entreprenuer. He won't let his money, time, and efforts go waste.
Also read | "Will Apologise Only If I Am Wrong": Kamal Haasan's Latest On Kannada Row
