The Supreme Court on Tuesday pulled up the Karnataka High Court and issued a notice in the case concerning the ban on the release of Kamal Haasan’s Tamil film Thug Life in the state. The top court expressed concern over threats from groups attempting to stop the film’s screening, saying such actions were unacceptable in a democracy.
“Guns cannot be put to people’s heads”
A bench of Justices Ujjal Bhuyan and Manmohan strongly criticised groups that threatened to burn down theatres over Haasan’s remarks claiming “Kannada was born from Tamil.” “If someone has made a statement, you counter it with another statement. You cannot threaten to burn down theatres,” the bench remarked. The judges asserted that the rule of law must prevail, and warned that “hooliganism cannot decide what is screened in theatres.”
Questioning the High Court’s intervention
The Supreme Court also took issue with the Karnataka High Court’s recent stance, which had asked for an apology from Haasan over his comment about the Kannada language. The apex court firmly stated that the high court had no business seeking an apology, underscoring the importance of free speech and reasoned debate. “If Kamal Haasan has said something inconvenient, it is not the gospel truth. The enlightened people of Karnataka should have engaged in debate and said he was wrong,” the bench said.
Court gives Karnataka Government one day to respond
The court granted the Karnataka government one day to provide clarity on the film’s release in the state. The bench emphasized that once a movie has received certification from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), it must be allowed to release nationwide without unlawful disruption.
What is the controversy?
Thug Life, directed by Mani Ratnam and starring Kamal Haasan, released across India on June 5. However, the film was blocked in Karnataka following backlash against Haasan’s comments about Kannada’s origins. This film marks the first collaboration between Haasan and Ratnam since the 1987 classic Nayakan.
The matter will next be heard by the Supreme Court on Thursday, as the film continues its run in other states.