• Source:JND
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Kamal Haasan has never avoided engaging in cultural or political discussions, and this time is no exception. During the promotion of his most recent movie, Thug Life, the seasoned actor spoke out against the imposition of Hindi in states where Hindi is not the primary language and expressed his strong support for linguistic freedom nationwide.

Kamal Haasan, whose 234th movie came out this week, made headlines lately when he said that Kannada was originally Tamil. This allegation triggered protests and resulted in the Karnataka government preventing Thug Life from being released.

ALSO READ - Kamal Haasan Refuses To Apologise Over 'Kannada Born Out Of Tamil' Remark, Halts 'Thug Life' Release In Karnataka

Kamal Haasan remembered one of his most well-known parts in the Hindi belt, which was in the 1981 movie about a Tamil man who falls in love with a woman who speaks Hindi, he said, "I am the actor from Ek Duuje Ke Liye…"

"Without imposition, we will learn. Don't impose, because this is ultimately education and we must take the shortest route to education… and not put hurdles in its way." Kamal Haasan's remarks coincide with the ruling DMK party in Tamil Nadu criticizing the National Education Policy's three-language formula, claiming it favors Hindi over regional languages. Such accusations have been refuted by the Center.

 
 
 
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Kamal Haasan also emphasised that opposition to Hindi is not limited to the South. "I stand with Punjab. I stand with Karnataka. I stand with Andhra. This is not only place which is resenting imposition," he added. 

Speaking of global competitiveness, he went on to say that embracing a practical, international language might provide an easier path ahead. "And English seems to be fair enough. You can do Spanish also, or Chinese. But I think the most practical thing where the shortest route to that is that we have 350 years of English education, slowly but steadily. So when you suddenly replace it, it’s all over again. You make unnecessarily many people illiterate, especially in Tamil Nadu," Haasan continued. 

Meanwhile, Kamal Haasan led Thug Life released in theatres on June 5th. The gangster drama, directed by Mani Ratnam, also starred Trisha Krishnan and Silambarasan TR.