India, June 1 -- As controversy brews over actor Kamal Haasan's recent remarks about the Kannada language, Kannada superstar Shiva Rajkumar has strongly reiterated his deep-rooted commitment to his mother tongue.

Speaking to reporters, Shiva Rajkumar declared, "Kannada is my first option, without a doubt. All languages are important, but Kannada comes first for me. I can give my life for Kannada. When there's an issue involving Karnataka, I'm always the first to stand up."

Shiva Rajkumar's remarks come in the wake of a storm triggered by Kamal Haasan's alleged comment at a promotional event in Chennai for his upcoming film Thug Life, where he said, "Kannada is born out of Tamil." The statement drew sharp criticism across Karnataka, with...