Overview

• Thug Life premiered nationwide on June 5 but remains barred in Karnataka after the state film chamber demanded an apology for Haasan’s comment that Kannada was born from Tamil.
• Haasan has refused to retract his remark, arguing that enforcing Hindi as a compulsory language hampers education and violates regional linguistic autonomy.
• He declared solidarity with Punjab, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh in their opposition to the Hindi requirement under India’s National Education Policy three-language framework.
• The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in Tamil Nadu has long opposed the NEP’s three-language policy, accusing the BJP-led central government of attempting to impose Hindi.
• Haasan recommended prioritizing English for international opportunities, citing India’s 350-year legacy of English-medium education as the most practical route to global success.