Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, a pro-Kannada group, filed a complaint against actor Kamal Haasan with Bengaluru Police on Wednesday. His recent remarks that "Tamil gave birth to Kannada" during the audio launch of his forthcoming movie 'Thug Life' in Bengaluru have drawn criticism.

PTI reports that the organisation, headed by Praveen Shetty, filed a complaint against the actor at Bengaluru's RT Nagar police station, calling for legal action. The organisation said in the complaint that the actor's "controversial statement" had insulted them and sowed the seeds of animosity between Kannadigas and Tamils.

"Every time a new Tamil movie is released, they have been constantly hurting the self-respect of Kannadigas. Such statements have been made continuously and have further disrupted peace and order between Kannadigas and Tamils," the complaint further alleged, as per the news agency.

ALSO READ: DYK? Kamal Haasan Originally Wrote The Script Of Thug Life, Titled Amar Hai; Actor Says 'Mani Ratnam Took It...'

"We have received a complaint. But no FIR has been registered yet. We are seeking a legal opinion, and accordingly, we will take further action in the matter," a senior police officer said.

Several pro-Kannada organisations are outraged by the actor's remarks. They protested Kamal in Bengaluru, Hubballi, Mysuru, and Belagavi, among other places in the state. In Belagavi and a few other locations, activists have also set fire to Kamal's posters and chanted anti-Kamal slogans. They have even threatened to disrupt the screening of his film Thug Life in the state if he does not offer an apology.

Kamal Haasan's Controversial Remark

While promoting Thug Life in Karnataka on Sunday, Kamal said, “Uyire Urave Tamizhe (My life and my family is Tamil language),” adding, “Actor Shivarajkumar is my family living in another state. That’s why he is here. That’s why when I started my speech, I said, my life and my family is Tamil. Your language (Kannada) was born out of Tamil. So you are included in that line.”