Rajni Kanthapologises to Kannadigas

The much-hyped Tamil film ‘Kuselan’, will have a smooth release in Karnataka on Friday following the movie’s protagonist, super star Rajnikanth’s apology to Kannadigas for his anti-Kannada statements made during the Hogennakal controversy.

Speaking in Kannada to a local TV channel on Thursday, which caught up with him in Hyderabad, Rajnikanth admitted that his “utterances’’ were a blunder. ‘Kannadigas have taught me a good lesson. In future such mistakes will not happen,’’ he added.

Kannada activists were up in arms against Rajnikanth for his statements that he would not lose anything, if his films were not watched in Karnataka.

The remarks were made by the actor, while, participating in a protest organised by the Tamil film industry supporting Tamil Nadu government on the Hogennakal project in April this year.
The protest was in retaliation to the Kannada film industry taking up cudgels on behalf of Karnataka government which had taken exception to the project on grounds that it was being executed without consulting.

The protests and counter protests between the two states on the project had simmered following TN chief minister M Karunanidhi’s announcement that it would be put on hold till assembly elections in Karnataka were over.

But once the dates for “Kuselan’s” release were announced, Kannada activists put down the rider of an apology from the actor for the film’s screening in the state.