Overview

• Karnataka banned the film after Haasan’s comments questioning the indigenous roots of Kannada prompted public outcry.
• ‘Thug Life’ opened across India on June 5 in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, and Malayalam versions but remained barred in Karnataka.
• Fringe groups have threatened cinemas with fire and communal violence if they screen the film.
• On June 9, a Supreme Court bench led by Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra refused to hear an Article 32 petition immediately and told petitioners to seek remedies in the Karnataka High Court.
• Petitioners argue the ban amounts to extra-judicial censorship that violates constitutional freedoms and have urged the court to order state protection for theaters.