In a significant win for Kamal Haasan, the Supreme Court today came down strongly on the Karnataka government for blocking the release of his film “Thug Life” over his remarks about the Kannada language. The actor had refused to apologise, despite the Karnataka Film Chamber’s objections and a directive from the Karnataka High Court urging him to do so.
While “Thug Life” was released worldwide on June 5, 2025, it was not screened in Karnataka due to the controversy. Although the film underperformed at the box office, the ban in Karnataka cost Kamal Haasan valuable opening revenue in the state.
Reprimanding the state, the Supreme Court asserted: “The rule of law mandates that a person must be able to release his film. A film with a CBFC card must be released.”
The court also criticised the Karnataka High Court, stating it was inappropriate to ask Kamal Haasan to apologise for his remarks, reinforcing the right to freedom of expression. Kamal Haasan during his speech at an event of “Thug Life” said Kannada language is born out of Tamil.
