Kamal Haasan's Thug Life case: SC says ‘threat of burning theatres, mob vigilante over streets’ can't be allowed

In a plea seeking protection of theatres in Karnataka over the release of Kamal Haasan's movie Thug Life, the Supreme Court today directed the Karnataka government to file its response by tomorrow. The top court said that the film must be released in the state as “threat of burning” cinema halls and “mob, vigilante over streets” cannot be allowed.

The apex court said that it had issued notice to the respondent State seeking its response in the last hearing, considering the urgency of the matter, ANI reported. M Mahesh Reddy filed a plea challenging the movie's non-release in Karnataka.

A bench of Justices Ujjal Bhuyan and Manmohan said that the rule of law demands that every film approved by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) be permitted to be released, and mobs and vigilantes shall not be allowed to take to the streets and create a ruckus over the issue. The top court also ordered that the case pending before the Karnataka High Court on this issue be transferred to itself.

“If actor Kamal Haasan said something, let people debate it, but the film cannot be stopped from screening in theatres. Putting people in fear, the threat of burning theatres cannot be allowed. The rule of law says a film with CBFC clearance has to be released in every state. Cannot allow mob, vigilante to take over streets, film 'Thug life' must be released in Karnataka,” the court said, according to PTI.

“Thug Life” was released in cinema halls on 5 June across the country. However, the Tamil film, marking Haasan’s reunion with director Mani Ratnam since 1987’s Nayakan, was unable to release in Karnataka due to a major controversy triggered by the 70-year-old actor’s remarks about the Kannada language.

Kamal Haasan's Thug Life case: SC on Karnataka HC's observation

The Supreme Court also opposed the High Court’s remarks demanding an apology for Haasan’s remark about the Kannada language, stating that it had no business to seek such an apology, PTI reported. The high court had slammed Haasan for his comment indicating that “Kannada was born out of Tamil”, and said that a “single apology could have resolved the situation”.

The actor reportedly made the remark at a promotional event in Chennai for his film, which led to a backlash in Karnataka, opening the way for the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) to declare that the film would not be screened in the state unless Haasan apologised.

Haasan ‘wants to publicise his movie on an emotional basis’

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Tamilisai Soundarajan on Saturday hit out at Hassan and asked him why he did not release his movie in Tamil if he was a true Tamilian. She further said that Hassan did not respect Tamil.

“People are telling me that if I don't support Kamal Haasan, then I am not a Tamilian. I ask Kamal Haasan, if he is a true Tamilian, why didn't he coin his movie in Tamil?... What is 'Thug Life'? Is it a Tamil phrase?... When it's about business, he doesn't respect Tamil. At the peak of his career, he didn't express his respect for Tamil. He was acting in Kannada, Malayalam, and Hindi films,” ANI quoted Soundarajan as saying.

She alleged that Hassan was dividing people in the name of Tamil and only aimed to publicise his film on an emotional basis.

"Now he wants to publicise his movie on an emotional basis. He is thanking the DMK government for offering him a Rajya Sabha seat. Initially, he said that he started the party only to challenge DMK... Now he is dividing the people in the name of Tamil..." she added.

(With inputs from ANI and PTI)