Kamal refuses to apologise for his remarks on Kannada

Bengaluru: Tamil movie Thug Life will not be released in Karnataka as part of its worldwide launch on June 5, as actor Kamal Haasan chose not to tender an apology for his statement that ’Kannada is born out of Tamil’ despite a suggestion made in this regard by the High Court of Karnataka to put an end to the controversy.

Raajkamal Films International (in which Haasan is a director), stated that it is not willing to screen the movie in Karnataka unless an encouraging dialogue takes place with the KFCC. The KFCC had demanded an apology from the actor for ‘undermining the sentiments of people of Karnataka’ with his controversial statement.

On Tuesday, Haasan had written a letter to KFCC stating that his statement on Kannada during the launch of the movie’s audio was made ‘out of genuine affection for the legendary Dr Rajkumar... and his words were intended only to convey that we are all one and from the same family and not to diminish Kannada in any way...’

Recording the statement made by the petitioner that the company does not intend to release the movie in Karnataka on June 5, Justice M Nagaprasanna adjourned further hearing on the petition till June 10.