Cinema VinesKannada film star Shiva Rajkumar has issued a public apology after a comment he made at the launch of his upcoming pan‑India film, Original Monster, sparked backlash on social media. During the title‑launch event, when asked about delivering Hindi dialogues in the bilingual project, the actor said, “Why? Hindi is my second language. I can speak Hindi. What did you think? It is an easy language, the national language. How would we not know it? We know it.” The remark was interpreted by many as an attempt to elevate Hindi to the status of a national language, a statement that did not sit well with Kannada‑speaking audiences who felt it diminished the importance of their own language.
In a subsequent media interaction on Wednesday, Rajkumar clarified that he had been confused and had not intended to offend. “I called Hindi the national language. It is one of the languages. Our language [Kannada] is always important to us. I don’t know, I got confused with one of the Indian languages. I apologise, I did not know. Their language is Hindi; ours is Kannada. Their language is important to them. Similarly, our language is important to us,” he said. The actor’s apology came after a wave of criticism on social media, with many fans demanding an explanation for what they saw as a disregard for Karnataka’s linguistic heritage.
Rajkumar’s remarks came at a time when the film industry is increasingly producing multilingual releases. Original Monster, helmed by R Chandru and produced by Yamuna Chandru under RC Studios, is being shot in both Kannada and Hindi and marks the actor’s debut in the Hindi language. The movie, set in the 1990s, follows the story of a man who is forced to confront the darker side of human nature in a world of violence and strength.
Beyond the controversy, the actor’s personal journey has also been in the news. In December 2024, he underwent a major surgery in Miami to remove a cancerous bladder and had an artificial bladder created from his intestine. He has spoken publicly about the challenges of chemotherapy, including hair loss, and how the support of his family, fans and medical team helped him continue shooting his Kannada film 45 during treatment. In a February 2025 interview on the Masth Magaa podcast, Rajkumar revealed that he had been scared even before his diagnosis but remained determined to fight the disease while keeping his work commitments.
The incident underscores the sensitivity surrounding language politics in India, where claims about a “national language” can ignite intense debate. Rajkumar’s apology, though brief, was an attempt to mend relations with his Kannada fan base and to reaffirm his respect for the language that has shaped his career.
