Actor Kamal Haasan’s high-profile film Thug Life, directed by Mani Ratnam, released worldwide on June 5 amid significant buzz. The film, launched in multiple Indian languages, drew wide attention owing to the celebrated collaboration between Haasan and Ratnam. However, the film ran into controversy in Karnataka, where it has been unofficially banned.
The Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce objected to certain comments made by Haasan during the film’s promotional events, claiming they were derogatory toward the Kannada language. The Chamber demanded a public apology, a stance later upheld by the Karnataka High Court. The matter reached the Supreme Court, which on Friday issued a notice to the Karnataka government over the ban and scheduled the next hearing for June 17. Meanwhile, Thug Life has received a lukewarm response from audiences in other regions.