Kamal Haasan in the announcement video of ‘Thug Life’
| Photo Credit: Raaj Kamal Films International/YouTube

With actor founder Kamal Haasan refusing to apologise for his remarks that “Kannada was born out of Tamil language” during the Thug Life audio launch recently and Karnataka remaining defiant, Raj Kamal Films International has decided against releasing the film in the neighbouring State for the time being. In the meantime, Mr. Haasan’s political party Makkal Needhi Maiam has put up posters across Tamil Nadu, which read, ‘Love will not apologise’.

The posters also read: “We spoke the truth to the world. We spoke about the relationship between the two. Why should we apologise for speaking love? Truth shall never bow down.”

In a letter to Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Haasan said, “It pains me that my statement at the Thug Life audio launch — spoken out of genuine affection for the legendary Dr. Raj Kumar’s family, especially Shiva Rajkumar — has been misunderstood and taken out of context. My words were intended only to convey that we are all one and from the same family, and not to diminish [the importance of] Kannada in anyway,” he said.

Mr. Haasan said, “There is no dispute or debate on the rich legacy of Kannada language. Like Tamil, Kannada has a proud literary and cultural tradition that I have long admired. Throughout my career, I have cherished the warmth and affection extended to me by the Kannada-speaking community, and I say that with clear conscience and conviction: my love for the language is genuine and I have great respect for the love that Kannadigas have for their mother tongue.”

Members of Kannada Raksha Vedike staging a protest in Bengaluru recently against Kamal Haasan for his remarks on the Kannada language and demanding a ban on the release of his film Thug Life in Karnataka.
| Photo Credit:
K. Murali Kumar

According to producer and distributor G. Dhananjayan, the production house is likely to face a loss of ₹35 crore to ₹40 crore in gross box office revenue and a loss of ₹12 crore to ₹15 crore in producer share, if the film does not release in Karnataka.

“Four Telugu films — Pushpa 2  (₹1,775.10 crore), Bahubali 2 (₹1,706.50 crore), RRR (₹1,289.40 crore) and Kalki 2898 (₹1,061 crore) — grossed more than ₹1,000 crore at the box office. The Karnataka box office revenue amounts to ₹104 crore (Pushpa 2), ₹129 crore (Bahubali 2), ₹83.40 crore (RRR), and ₹74.80 crore (Kalki 2898). With the four Telugu films grossing a total of ₹5, 832 crore, the Karnataka box office revenue alone amounts to ₹391.20 crore, while the north Indian market accounts for ₹2,361.60 crore. The Karnataka market accounts for around 7% of the total revenue,” he said.

The top grossing Tamil films in Karnataka were Jailer (₹67.70 crore), Leo (₹41.35 crore), Ponniyin Selvan 1 (₹28.10 crore), The Goat (₹27.95 crore), and Vikram (around ₹22 crore). “For Tamil films too, the Karnataka market accounts for 7% of the total revenue,” he said. In short, Thug Life might lose about 7% of the total expected revenue, Mr. Dhananjayan said.

The Tamil Active Film Producers Council has said in a statement that stopping or postponement of the release of Thug Life in Karnataka will “permanently damage” the harmonious relationship between the two film industries and will have “consequences” for both in the coming years.