Politician and star actor Kamal Haasan is currently gearing up for the release of his next movie Thug Life on June 5, 2025. With only two days left for this film's release, Thug Life was embroiled in a massive controversy in Karnataka, over a Tamil Vs Kannada language issue. 

Thug Life had an audio launch event in Chennai on May 24, 2025. Kannada star actor Shivarajkumar who is not associated with Thug Life by any means, but is an ardent Kamal Haasan fan had attended the Thug Life audio launch. It was here that Kamal Haasan remarked, 

"Uyire Urave Tamizhe" (My life, my family, my Tamil) and then addressed Shivarajkumar, saying, "Your language (Kannada) was born out of Tamil, so you too are included"

 

When videos from the Thug Life audio launch started making the rounds, pro-Kannada outfits took immense offence to Kamal Haasan's 'Kannada is born out of Tamil' remarks. After several politicians expressed condemnation, the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) banned the release of Thug Life, and demanded an apology from Kamal Haasan. 

Since a state wide film ban, and demands for apology, were being made out of a no-malice welcoming statement (the Kannadigas were equally harassing Shivarajkumar at this point), Kamal Haasan responded by stating that he didn't do any wrong, so he would not be apologizing. 

As the Tamil vs Kannada language row was refusing to die down even as Thug Life inched closer to release, Kamal Haasan moved Karnataka High Court seeking a lift on Thug Life's Karnataka ban, and security for the smooth release his movie in theaters. But Justice M Nagaprasanna hearing the petition filed by Kamal Haasan's production house Raaj Kamal Films International, ripped the actor apart orally during the hearing. 

In a live telecast high court hearing, Justice M Nagaprasanna kept insisting, "In law we will consider it is a different thing" but kept coming down heavily on Kamal Haasan suggesting that he created unrest among the masses using language, a factor on which states in India are already divided. 

Senior Advocate Dhyan Chinnappa representing RKFI remained unintimidated, but as evidenced in the live court hearing, it was clear that Karnataka was making a statement out of this incident. Kamal Haasan remained equally unfazed, and refused to apologize once again. Kamal Haasan's response to the Karnataka High Court's firing was that an apology was required for mistakes, not misunderstandings. 

“An apology is required where there is malice”, relayed advocate Dhyan Chinnappa to the Karnataka High Court.  When Justice M Nagaprasanna termed Kamal Haasan’s response as ‘ego’, the advocate claimed that it is not, adding the petitioner is not insisting on the June 5 release of Thug Life in Karnataka anymore. Justice M Nagaprasanna recorded Kamal Haasan's statement, and has now postponed the hearing to June 10, 2025. 

The Tamil side of Kamal Haasan's fan-base has expressed elation that the actor has stuck to his guns, and not bowed down to pressure. Thug Life stands facing a loss of atleast Rs. 10 - Rs. 15 Cr. from the Karnataka box-office because of Kamal Haasan's decision. So Tamil Nadu has also hailed the actor's decision as 'gutsy' in this ongoing Kannada language row.