Tamil Nadu actors' body supports Kamal Haasan amid backlash from Karnataka
Chennai: The South Indian Artistes’ Association (SIAA), the main body for film, television, and stage actors in Tamil Nadu, has come out in support of veteran actor Kamal Haasan after his recent remarks on the Kannada language drew criticism in Karnataka.
According to The News Minute, the Karnataka Film Chamber has threatened to ban Haasan’s upcoming film Thug Life, which is set to release on June 5, 2025.
In a statement issued on Friday, May 30, the SIAA urged the Karnataka government, the Kannada film industry, and the people of the state to understand the true meaning behind Haasan’s words. The association warned that the ongoing campaign against the actor could create a “dark precedent” for cinema and public conversations.
Quoting the SIAA, The News Minute wrote, “To portray Kamal Haasan as anti-Kannada is entirely unacceptable.” The association said it was unfair to misrepresent someone like Haasan, who has always promoted unity beyond regional and language barriers.
“Kamal Haasan is a legendary artist who has transcended barriers of caste, religion, race, and language,” the statement read. “To question his integrity is to insult decades of cultural unity and artistic excellence,” the association said.
The SIAA also highlighted Haasan’s long-standing ties with Karnataka, mentioning his friendship with late Kannada superstar Dr Rajkumar and his bond with actor-playwright Girish Karnad. The statement recalled Haasan’s public appeal for Dr Rajkumar’s release when he was kidnapped by forest brigand Veerappan in 2000. “He has always considered Dr Rajkumar as a brother and holds Dr Shivarajkumar in the regard of a son,” the letter noted.
The controversy began during the audio launch of Thug Life, where Haasan said, “Tamil gave birth to Kannada.” This comment was criticised by pro-Kannada groups, who claimed it belittled the Kannada language and hurt the feelings of Kannadigas. Protests have broken out in different parts of Karnataka, with some activists threatening to stop the film’s release.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also responded to the issue. “Kannada has a long and well-documented history. Poor Kamal Haasan. He is simply unaware of it,” the Chief Minister said.
BJP leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, R Ashoka, called Haasan a “mental patient” and accused him of insulting Kannada culture. “I urge the government to ban all Kamal Haasan films in Karnataka. If not, he will continue to behave like a mental patient,” he said. Ashoka also alleged that Haasan has a history of making hurtful remarks about Karnataka and the Kannada language.
Meanwhile, linguists have clarified that both Kannada and Tamil come from the Dravidian language family and share a common proto-Dravidian ancestor. Over centuries, both languages have grown in their own ways, forming unique cultural and literary traditions.
This controversy comes at a time when Kamal Haasan’s political party, Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), has recently secured a Rajya Sabha seat through its alliance with the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu.
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Assam polls: Cong announces first list of 42 candidates, Gaurav to contest from Jorhat
Guwahati (PTI): The opposition Congress on Tuesday took the lead in announcing its first list of 42 candidates for the upcoming assembly elections in Assam, with it comprising both sitting MLAs and former ministers, and also new faces, including sons of three prominent politicians.
The party's chief ministerial candidate and state president Gaurav Gogoi will contest from the prestigious Jorhat assembly constituency, currently held by BJP's Hitendra Nath Goswami.
The Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha will make his first electoral foray for the assembly.
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Gogoi is currently the party MP from the Jorhat parliamentary constituency and previously represented Kaliabor twice before it was reconstituted during the delimitation exercise in the state.
The leader of the opposition in the state assembly, Debabrata Saikia, will contest from the family stronghold of Nazira, which he has represented since 2016. His father, former chief minister Hiteswar Saikia, and his mother, Hemoprava Saikia, previously represented the constituency.
Three sitting MLAs -- Nandita Das from Hajo-Sualkuchi, Diganta Barman from Barkhetry and Nurul Huda from Rupohihat -- have also been included in the list.
Das, a two-time MLA, had earlier contested from Boko but following the delimitation exercise in the state, she has been shifted to Hajo-Sualkuchi while Barman and Huda will contest from the same seats they represented in the current assembly.
Former minister and state Congress president Ripun Bora will contest from Barchalla while another former minister, Ajit Singh, will contest from Udharbond constituency in Barak Valley.
Former minister and Deputy Speaker Pranati Phukan, a four-time MLA till 2016, will contest from Naharkatia in Upper Assam.
Tanzil Hussain, son of Dhubri MP Rakibul Hussain, will contest from Samaguri where he had lost to BJP's Diplu Ranjan Sarmah in the 2024 by-elections which was necessitated following the election of the senior Hussain to Lok Sabha.
Prateek Bordoloi, son of Nagaon MP Prodyut Bordoloi, will contest the Margherita seat which was represented by his father thrice since 2001.
Former five-time MP and prominent tea tribe leader Paban Singh Ghatowar's son Pranjal Ghatowar will contest from the Chabua-Lahowal seat.
Assam Pradesh Mahila Congress president Mira Borthakur, who had unsuccessfully contested the last parliamentary polls from Gauhati, has been given the ticket for the prestigious Dispur constituency.
Former BJP MLA Ashok Sarma, who was denied ticket by the ruling party in 2021 and went on to join the Congress in 2024, will contest from his previous Nalbari seat.
Another former BJP MLA and Deputy Speaker Aminul Haque Laskar, who joined the Congress in 2024, will contest from Sonai constituency in Barak Valley.
Former AGP MLA Satyabrat Kalita, who joined the Congress in September 2025, will contest from Kamalpur seat.
Other prominent faces in the list include former Congress MLAs Durga Bhumij from Doomdooma, Binanda Kumar Saikia from Sipahjhar and Bubul Das from Jagiroad (SC) constituency.
The Congress is a leading part of the unified opposition alliance, 'Asom Sonmilito Morcha', formed to challenge the ruling BJP, and has entered into seat-sharing arrangements with the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) and the Left, but is yet to finalise it with Raijor Dal.
Presently, the ruling BJP's strength in the 126-member assembly is 64, while its allies AGP has nine MLAs, UPPL has seven and BPF has three members.
In the opposition camp, the Congress has 26 MLAs, AIUDF has 15 members and CPI(M) has one MLA. There is an Independent legislator as well.
