New Delhi: An acerbic exchange between Bollywood star Ajay Devgn and popular Kannada actor Kichcha Sudeep over the “primacy” of the Hindi language is being hotly debated on Twitter.
It all started at an event where Kichcha Sudeep lauded the success of Kannada movie KGF 2. He said: “Someone said that a pan India film (KGF 2) was made in Kannada. I’d like to make a small correction. Hindi is no more a national language.”
The actor mocked a “struggling” Bollywood for dubbing films in south Indian languages for money. “But it’s not happening,” the actor said, adding, “Today, we are making films that are going everywhere.”
Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn sharply retorted to this in Hindi, and asked to know why films in Sudeep’s mother tongue (Kannada) were dubbed and released in Hindi. Devgn tweeted, “Hindi was, is and would always be our mother tongue as well as the national language.”
.@KicchaSudeep मेरे भाई,
आपके अनुसार अगर हिंदी हमारी राष्ट्रीय भाषा नहीं है तो आप अपनी मातृभाषा की फ़िल्मों को हिंदी में डब करके क्यूँ रिलीज़ करते हैं?
हिंदी हमारी मातृभाषा और राष्ट्रीय भाषा थी, है और हमेशा रहेगी।
जन गण मन ।
— Ajay Devgn (@ajaydevgn) April 27, 2022
A polite but terse back-and-forth continued between the two actors Wednesday evening, during which Sudeep even asked the Bollywood actor: “Don’t we too belong to India sir.”
The exchange elicited sharp opinion from other actors, filmmakers and even two former Karnataka chief ministers. Devgn, unfortunately, was at the receiving end of some serious flak.
Hello @ajaydevgn sir.. the context to why i said tat line is entirely different to the way I guess it has reached you. Probably wil emphasis on why the statement was made when I see you in person. It wasn't to hurt,Provoke or to start any debate. Why would I sir ? https://t.co/w1jIugFid6
— Kichcha Sudeepa (@KicchaSudeep) April 27, 2022
And sir @ajaydevgn ,,
I did understand the txt you sent in hindi. Tats only coz we all have respected,loved and learnt hindi.
No offense sir,,,but was wondering what'd the situation be if my response was typed in kannada.!!
Don't we too belong to India sir.
?
— Kichcha Sudeepa (@KicchaSudeep) April 27, 2022
Translation & interpretations are perspectives sir. Tats the reason not reacting wothout knowing the complete matter,,,matters.:)
I don't blame you @ajaydevgn sir. Perhaps it would have been a happy moment if i had received a tweet from u for a creative reason.
Luv&Regards❤️ https://t.co/lRWfTYfFQi
— Kichcha Sudeepa (@KicchaSudeep) April 27, 2022
Replying to the Bollywood actor, former Congress chief minister Siddaramaiah declared Wednesday evening: “Hindi was never and will never be our national language.”
The leader continued: “It is the duty of every Indian to respect the linguistic diversity of our country. Each language has its own rich history for its people to be proud of. I am proud to be a Kannadiga!”
Hindi was never & will never be our National Language.
It is the duty of every Indian to respect linguistic diversity of our Country.
Each language has its own rich history for its people to be proud of.
I am proud to be a Kannadiga!! https://t.co/SmT2gsfkgO
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) April 27, 2022
Another former chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy endorsed Sudeep on Thursday morning and berated Devgn for being “hyper in nature” and of “ludicrous behaviour”.
In a seven-tweet counter, Janata Dal (S) leader Kumaraswamy reminded Devgn that India was a “garden of several languages” and that he was “blabbering as the mouthpiece of the BJP”.
He added: “Devgn must realise that Kannada cinema is outgrowing Hindi film industry. Because of encouragement by Kannadigas, Hindi cinema has grown. Devgn shouldn’t forget that his first movie ‘Phool aur Kaante’ ran for a year in Bengaluru.”
The JD(S) leader concluded: “An addiction for primacy is dividing the country. A seed sown by the BJP has become contagious dividing the nation. This is a threat to India’s unity.”
Actor @KicchaSudeep saying that Hindi is not a National Language is correct. There is nothing to find fault in his statement. Actor @ajaydevgn is not only hyper in nature but also shows his ludicrous behaviour. 1/7
— H D Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) April 28, 2022
A known face in the Kannada film industry, actor Sathish Ninasam, supported Sudeep and tweeted in Kannada: “For decades now your Hindi cinemas have made money in Kannada land. It’s only now that our Kannada films have set foot there. You too must respect us and our language the way we have yours. Hindi was never and will never be our National Language. My support to Sudeep.”
ಹತ್ತಾರು ವರ್ಷಗಳಿಂದ ನಿಮ್ಮ ಹಿಂದಿ ಸಿನಿಮಾಗಳು ಕನ್ನಡ ನೆಲದಲ್ಲಿ ಹಣ ಮಾಡಿವೆ,ಈಗಷ್ಟೆ ನಮ್ಮ ಕನ್ನಡ ಸಿನಿಮಾಗಳು ಅಲ್ಲಿಗೆ ಕಾಲಿಟ್ಟಿವೆ,ನಮ್ಮಂತೆ ನೀವು ನಮ್ಮನ್ನು, ನಮ್ಮ ಬಾಷೆಯನ್ನು ಗೌರವಿಸಿ.ಹಿಂದಿ ಅಂದಿಗೂ ಎಂದಿಗೂ ನಮ್ಮ ರಾಷ್ತ್ರ ಭಾಷೆಯಲ್ಲ.ನಿಮ್ಮ ಧ್ವನಿಗೆ ನಮ್ಮ ಧ್ವನಿ @KicchaSudeep ಸರ್ https://t.co/Hvje7dfvJK
— Sathish Ninasam (@SathishNinasam) April 27, 2022
Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma also backed Sudeep. He tweeted, “The base undeniable ground truth Kiccha Sudeep sir is that the north stars are insecure and jealous of the south stars because a Kannada dubbing film #KGF2 had a 50 crore opening day and we all are going to see the coming opening days of Hindi films.”
He added: “Whether u intended or not am glad u made this statement because unless there’s a strong stir, there cannot be a calm especially at a time when there seems to be a war like situation between Bolly(north)wood and Sandal(South) wood.”
The base undeniable ground truth @KicchaSudeep sir ,is that the north stars are insecure and jealous of the south stars because a Kannada dubbing film #KGF2 had a 50 crore opening day and we all are going to see the coming opening days of Hindi films
— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) April 27, 2022
Whether u intended or not am glad u made this statement ,because unless there’s a strong stir , there cannot be a calm especially at a time when there seems to be a war like situation between Bolly(north)wood and Sandal(South) wood https://t.co/SXPqvrU8OV
— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) April 27, 2022