Karnataka High Court defers hearing on 'Thug Life'; film release stalled until June 10

The Karnataka High Court on Monday deferred the hearing regarding the release of actor Kamal Haasan’s upcoming film Thug Life to June 10, effectively putting a pause on its originally scheduled release date of June 5. The decision comes amid ongoing controversy surrounding the actor’s recent remarks on the origin of the Kannada language, which have drawn strong backlash from various quarters in Karnataka.

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The court, while taking a cautious stance on the matter, has clarified that the film shall not be released until further notice. This delay follows an earlier directive from the court in which Justice M. Nagaprasanna questioned Kamal Haasan’s qualifications to make statements like “Kannada was born out of Tamil” and asked the veteran actor to apologise before any further appeal could be entertained.

Kamal Haasan, who is also a key political figure in Tamil Nadu, has not issued an explicit apology so far, although he has claimed his words were misinterpreted and reaffirmed his respect for the Kannada language and culture. However, the High Court seemed unconvinced and stressed the need for public figures to act responsibly.

The controversy has led to heightened tensions between Kannada language activists and Haasan’s supporters. With the matter now adjourned, all eyes will be on the court proceedings scheduled for June 10.