“Prepare for the Wild Ride” ‘Thug Life’

Ref: TFAPA/1138/2025

Date: 03-06-2025

To,
Shri. M. Narasimhalu,
President,
Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC),
28, 1st Main, Crescent Road, High Grounds,
Crescent Road Bangalore – 560 020.

Sub: ‘THUG LIFE’ ban in Karnataka – Request to allow smooth release of the film

Dear Sir,
We from Tamil Film Active Producers Association (TFAPA) comprising of many leading film producer members earnestly appeal to you to allow the smooth release of the film, Shri Kamal Haasan’s ‘THUG LIFE’ in Karnataka, especially when both Tamil and Kannada film industries are working harmoniously for many years with several actors from Kannada working in Tamil film industry (Shri Shivrajkumar, Shri Sudeep, Shri Upendra, Shri Duniya Vijay, Shri Kishore, Shri Achyuth Kumar and many others) and many filmmakers and Producers from Tamil Cinema, making films in Kannada industry. Any unilateral act or decision by you that will affect the harmony existing between the two film industries must be avoided by Film Chamber and in this regard, we appeal to you to withdraw the ban on the film ‘Thug Life’ and allow it to release in Karnataka from 5th June 2025.

While each language has its own history, uniqueness, culture and tradition, Shri Kamal Haasan’s comment during the pre-release event of the film at Bengaluru was more out of love for Kannada language and not to reduce the importance or value of Kannada language in the hearts of millions of people, who speak that language. Shri Kamal Haasan has made immense contribution to Kannada cinema industry too with films like ‘Kokila’, ‘Pushpaka Vimana’ and several other films and he is highly respected by filmmakers and directors there.

At this stage we wish to quote the Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka, Shri D.K. Shivakumar, who said to the media, “We all are neighbours, we all have to work together, live together. Our water goes to Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu people come here. We are not enemies. We all are friends”. This spirit of understanding is required between us to move forward over the comment of Shri Kamal Haasan, which was more out of his love and brotherhood with Kannada film industry and the people there for many decades.

International Booker Prize winner for Kannada, Ms. Banu Mushtaq during the felicitation organized by the Karnataka Government stated yesterday, ‘People have misunderstood Kannada and Kannadigas – there is no other language in the world as tolerant as Kannada. Kannada is a vibrant language of plurality and harmony with a strong fraternal relationship with other Dravidian languages.”
Shri Kamal Haasan spoke on this fraternal relationship that exists between Tamil and Kannada languages and issued a clarification also in this regard today in a letter addressed to you. Keeping that spirit in mind, we request you to extend your support and cooperation to the release of his film in Karnataka without any hindrance.

Stopping or postponement of the release of Shri Kamal Haasan’s film ‘Thug Life’ in Karnataka will permanently damage the harmonious relationship that exists between the two film industries and may lead to consequences, which will affect both the film industries in the coming years. Being neighbours, we both are inter-dependent on each other and have to live and work together. Hence, we once again appeal to you to allow the smooth release of the film and display your tolerance and magnanimity in this situation, which will go a long way for the better future of both the film industries.

Thanking you,

T. Siva
General Secretary

T.G. Thyagarajan
Working President

G. Dhananjeyan
Treasurer

S.R. Prabhu – S. Vinod Kumar
Vice Presidents

S.S. Lalit Kumar- Suresh Kamatchi, Joint Secretaries and the Executive Committee Members of Tamil Film Active Producers Association.

c.c.: Mr. Ravi Kottarakkara, President, South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce (SIFCC)