Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce President Narsimhalu said the industry is ready for talks with Kamal Haasan though they are upset with him for making that remark that ‘Kannada is born out of Tamil’.
“We are ready for talks with him, it is Kamal Haasan who is being stubborn. All he has to do is to say that he takes back his words or say sorry and we are ready to screen his film,” said Narsimhalu in a chat with The Federal.
Narsimhalu frankly admitted that it is not the Kannada film industry that is angry with him. “It is the Karnataka politicians, the Karnataka Vedike Sangha, and people of Karnataka, who are against the actor. “If we go ahead and screen his film they will not leave us,” he pointed out.
The actor is popular in the state and has acted in a number of Kannada films, his last one being Rama Shama Bhama in 2005. “Kamal Haasan is one of us,” said Narsimhalu, who is also a member of the South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce.
Kamal Haasan’s production house, Raaj Kamal Films International, told the Karnataka High Court on Tuesday that the actor is keen on entering into a dialogue with Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) to explain his recent controversial comment about Kannada, which had triggered calls to boycott his upcoming film ‘Thug Life’ in Karnataka.
Also read: LIVE | KFCC says open to talks after Kamal refuses to back down
Kamal’s lawyer also argued that since Haasan has not said anything bad about Kannada, he did not need to apologise. And, he was ready to wait to release his film in Karnataka till he talked to the KFCC.
Narsimhalu, however, also added that the Karnataka people are angry with Kamal for making that remark that Kannada was born out of Tamil.
“Why should he talk about Kannada language at all? He should have stuck to talking about his film, but now he has spoken, he should admit that he has made a mistake and close the matter. Even if he admits that he was wrong, it is enough. We don’t want this hassle at all,” he added.
Narsimhalu said that he was confused about this language war since he is a member of the South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce. “ We all come under south India. I don’t understand why we are fighting over language in the film industry, this is new for us,” he said, pointing that exhibitors will have to scramble to find films to screen in theatres in place of ‘Thug Life’.
Meanwhile, a Kannada filmmaker, who preferred to be anonymous, said that all Kamal Haasan had to do was to accept that he made a mistake for the matter to be closed.
“He doesn’t seem to be bothered about the Karnataka market since it has become a political issue. He loses political mileage in Tamil Nadu and that is important for him. He is in a tricky situation, it is either political mileage or revenue from Karnataka market for him. If ‘Thug Life’ does not do well, he does not lose much in terms of revenue as well,” said the Kannada film director, who is also a Kamal fan, having seen his movies in Karnataka since the 70s.
Moreover, he added that big filmmakers who make pan India films in Karnataka are silent and not wading into the controversy and it is the small filmmakers who are making a noise over the Kamal issue.
