India, June 1 -- Tensions flared outside Victory Cinema in Bengaluru's Kamakshipalya on Sunday as members of the pro-Kannada outfit Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) gathered to protest the release of Kamal Haasan's upcoming film Thug Life. The organisation is demanding a statewide ban on the film, alleging that the veteran actor insulted the Kannada language.

Led by Praveen Shetty, the protesters warned theatre authorities against screening the film. The flashpoint follows a controversial statement Haasan allegedly made during a promotional event in Chennai, where he reportedly claimed that "Kannada is born out of Tamil." The remark triggered a wave of backlash across Karnataka, with activists accusing Haasan of belittling the state's lin...