On Monday, the Supreme Court rejected a request from a theatre association in Karnataka that sought immediate permission to screen Kamal Haasan's film, Thug Life, which has been prohibited in the state due to controversy surrounding Haasan's comments on the Kannada language.

The Karnataka Theatres Association submitted a petition under Article 32, claiming that certain fringe groups were intimidating cinemas that intended to show Thug Life. The film's producers also approached the Supreme Court for protection, stating that they were advised by the High Court to resolve issues with the threatening groups directly.

A bench comprising Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Manmohan dismissed the request, instructing the association to take their case to the Karnataka High Court.

Justice PK Mishra declined to expedite the hearing, questioning the necessity of filing under Article 32 and suggesting they seek resolution at the High Court instead.

In a previous hearing, the Karnataka High Court had recommended that Haasan issue a public apology. Justice M. Nagaprasanna emphasized Haasan's responsibility as a public figure, stating, 'You are not an ordinary man. You create a circumstance, cause unrest, and now you want protection from the state machinery. This entire situation could have been solved with a simple apology.'

The controversy surrounding Thug Life began during its audio launch in Chennai, where Haasan expressed his pride in his Tamil heritage, stating, 'Uyire Urave Tamizhe,' which translates to 'My life and my family is Tamil.' He also remarked to Kannada superstar Shivarajkumar, 'Your language was born out of Tamil. So, you are included in that line.'

Following these remarks, the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce threatened to prohibit the film's release unless Haasan apologized. Industry analysts predict that the gangster thriller could incur losses ranging from Rs 35–40 crore in gross box office revenue and Rs 12–15 crore in distributor shares due to the ban in Karnataka.