The makers of "Thug Life," starring actor-politician Kamal Haasan, are claiming that the Karnataka government has failed to act against threats of violence targeted at cinemas planning to screen the film. They allege that despite these open threats, not a single First Information Report (FIR) has been filed, prompting them to approach the Supreme Court for intervention.
The controversy erupted after Kamal Haasan made remarks about the Kannada language, stating that it "was born out of Tamil." This triggered backlash and calls for a boycott of his film in Karnataka. According to the petitioners, after Victory Cinema in Bengaluru announced its intention to screen "Thug Life," the president of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV), allegedly threatened to "set theaters on fire" if any Haasan film was released in the state.
The situation reportedly escalated when members of the KRV attempted to lay siege to Victory Cinema on June 1. Following this, the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) declared a "ban" on the film, allegedly under pressure from various groups.
The film's producer then approached the Karnataka High Court seeking police protection. However, the focus of the hearing shifted to whether Haasan ought to apologize for his past statements. The petitioner criticized this as appeasement and alleged that it rendered the High Court route ineffective for securing fundamental rights. Haasan refrained from apologizing for his statements, stating that he was in talks with KFCC regarding the issue.
Advocate A Velan, representing the petitioner M Mahesh Reddy, argued before the Supreme Court that the state government has "completely capitulated" and "joined hands with extremist elements." He highlighted that "one of the theatres was seized while women and children were still inside! No FIR was registered. The theatre management were running for cover."
The plea before the Supreme Court argues that the inaction of the Karnataka government violates the fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution. This right applies not only to filmmakers but also to the public who want to view films. The plea also highlights a social media post from the same period that called for a repeat of the 1991 anti-Tamil riots and warned of violence following the film's scheduled release on June 5. Despite widespread concern over the post and the alleged threats, no case has been registered so far, the petitioner informed the Court.
Advocate Navpreet Kaur added that "fringe groups issued open threats on social media to burn down theatres screening Thug Life, targeting both cinema halls and the Tamil linguistic minority in Karnataka. Despite clear Supreme Court guidelines requiring immediate action against such hate speech, the State took no action - no FIRs were filed, and no protection was offered. Instead, under pressure, the Karnataka Film Chamber advised theatres not to release the movie, resulting in a de facto ban. This is a serious law and order failure and a threat to constitutional rights."
Taking note of the urgency and the issues involved, a Supreme Court bench of Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Manmohan issued a notice to the Karnataka government, seeking its response to the plea. The Court has scheduled the matter for further hearing next Tuesday, June 17, 2025. The Supreme Court has also issued notices to the State police, Raaj Kamal Films International Private Limited and the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) seeking their responses to the plea.
