“Said It Out of Love” Kamal Haasan Responds to Kannada Controversy
Actor-politician Kamal Haasan on Wednesday defended his controversial remarks on the origins of the Kannada language, asserting that his words were spoken “out of love” and calling on politicians to refrain from making definitive claims on linguistic history.
The Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) president, speaking to reporters in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, clarified his earlier statement in which he had said that “Kannada was born out of Tamil.” The remark sparked criticism from political leaders and pro-Kannada groups in Karnataka.
“What I said was said out of love, and a lot of historians have taught me language history. I didn’t mean anything disrespectful,” Haasan explained, noting that he had no intention to offend.
He acknowledged the sensitivity around language identity and said, “Politicians are not qualified to talk about language. They don’t have the qualifications to talk about it, including me. Let us leave all these very in-depth discussions to historians, archaeologists and language experts.”
Haasan emphasized Tamil Nadu’s inclusive political tradition, noting the diversity of past chief ministers, including those of Kannadiga, Menon, Reddy, and Tamil backgrounds. “Tamil Nadu is a state where a Menon has been our Chief Minister, a Reddy has been our Chief Minister, and a Kannadiga Iyengar has been our Chief Minister,” he stated.
The statement drew strong criticism from several leaders in Karnataka, including Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. “Kannada has a long-standing history. Poor Kamal Haasan, he is unaware of it,” the CM said earlier on Wednesday.
BJP state president BY Vijayendra accused Haasan of displaying “uncultured behaviour” and showing “disrespect” to the Kannada language. “Especially artists should have the culture of respecting every language,” he said, taking to social media platform X (formerly Twitter). Vijayendra also expressed disappointment at Haasan’s reference to Kannada actor Shivarajkumar in his original statement.
BJP MLA R Ashoka went further, describing Haasan as a “mental patient” and accusing him of ignorance and arrogance.
The row has triggered a storm online, with hashtags like #KamalHaasan and #Kannada trending across platforms. Many social media users in Karnataka expressed anger, accusing Haasan of undermining Kannada’s rich linguistic and cultural heritage. Others defended the actor, calling for calm and context-based interpretation.
Pro-Kannada organisations have also voiced discontent, demanding a retraction from the actor.
The controversy began when Haasan, while speaking at an event earlier this week, said that “Kannada was born from Tamil.” Though he didn’t elaborate, the remark was widely interpreted as a claim of linguistic superiority, reigniting longstanding sensitivities around language and identity in southern India.
