The Supreme Court on Thursday strongly defended actor-politician Kamal Haasan's right to free speech amid the ongoing row over his remark that “Kannada was born out of Tamil.” The top court pulled up the Karnataka government for not preventing threats by pro-Kannada groups opposing the release of Haasan’s upcoming film Thug Life. The court stressed that an individual's opinion should not lead to a ban on artistic expression and warned the state against letting “mobs and vigilante groups” decide what gets released.

Responding to the court’s tough stance, the Karnataka government assured that full protection and security would be provided to cinemas screening the film. Notices have also been issued to groups that threatened to disrupt the movie’s release. The court firmly rejected demands for an apology from Haasan, stating, “Just because someone expresses an opinion, should a movie be stopped?” Haasan, satisfied with the court's support, indicated that he wanted to close the case. However, the original petitioner’s counsel argued that criminal proceedings should be initiated against those who issued threats.

The controversy erupted following Haasan’s remark at an event in Chennai, which pro-Kannada groups found offensive. Though the actor clarified that his statement was misunderstood and reiterated his respect for the Kannada language, he refused to apologize, stating that doing so under pressure would be wrong. With mounting pressure from local cinema bodies, the film’s release in Karnataka was initially withdrawn. The case was taken to the Supreme Court after the Karnataka High Court declined to intervene. On Tuesday, the top court emphasized that a film cleared by the censor board must be allowed to be released, reinforcing the principle of freedom of expression in the face of public outrage.