Kamal Haasan recently said that Kannada originated from Tamil, sparking a major controversy in Karnataka, prompting the right wing and the local film chamber to seek an apology from the actor for his upcoming film Thug Life to be allowed a release in Kannada as well.
Many in Karnataka have been calling Kamal arrogant for attributing Kannada's linguistic origins to Tamil. In the middle of the controversy, Kamal made some candid remarks at a Thug Life prerelease event in Hyderabad about his recent track record as an actor.
Addressing the crowd, Kamal said, “I have made many mistakes; you have forgiven all my bad films and have remembered only the good films. Thank you. I have a duty to give you good films. My record in actual, straight Telugu films is good. I have done about 15 to 16 Telugu films, and I have 13 hits. Whenever I get flops, it is my fault. Now, I am making amends for a bad film with this film (Thug Life).”
Recently, Kamal said that Thug Life would even make the audience 'forget’ Nayakan, his previous film with Mani Ratnam. The actor reinstated his belief in the quality of Thug Life, saying, “For giving you a bad film, I am giving you a good film.”
Kamal went on to add that Thug Life has Silambarasan TR's career-best performance. "He has done many (performances), but for me, this is the level I wanted his acting to reach, and he has achieved it."
Kamal also said that his Thug Life co-star Nasser delivered a memorable introduction scene in the film that made him the latter's fan.
While the linguistic controversy continues to be a major talking point in the industry, Kamal’s candidness has appealed to a section of the audience.