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Shiva Rajkumar has now addressed the backlash and apologised, clarifying that he was confused while making the statement.
Shiva Rajkumar Apologises Over ‘Hindi Is National Language’ Remark
Kannada superstar Shiva Rajkumar has found himself at the centre of a language-related controversy after a recent comment about Hindi triggered criticism on social media. The actor, who is set to make his Hindi debut with Original Monster, had referred to Hindi as the “national language” while speaking about his ability to deliver Hindi dialogues at the film’s launch event. The remark did not go down well with some sections of the audience, prompting a debate over language and regional identity. Shiva Rajkumar has now addressed the backlash and apologised, clarifying that he was confused while making the statement and reiterating the importance of Kannada as well as other Indian languages.
Shiva Rajkumar reacts after facing heat over his Hindi language remark
Speaking to the media at the Original Monster event, Shiva Rajkumar clarified that he had misspoken while referring to Hindi as a national language. The actor said he intended to describe it as one of the languages spoken in India but used the wrong term in the heat of the moment. He said, “I called Hindi the national language. It is one of the languages. Our language [Kannada] is important for us, always. I don’t know, I got confused with one of the Indian languages. I apologise, I did not know. Their language is Hindi, our language is Kannada, their language is important to them. Similarly our language is important to us.”
His clarification follows the backlash over comments he made at the title launch of his upcoming film Original Monster, where he referred to Hindi as the “national language.” When asked about speaking Hindi dialogues for the pan-India project, the actor had 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 sparked a debate on social media, as some users criticised Shiva Rajkumar for referring to Hindi as a national language. However, others defended him, suggesting that the actor was speaking about the language’s popularity and widespread usage across India.
Meanwhile, Shiva Rajkumar‘s Original Monster is helmed by R Chandru. It is being made in Kannada and Hindi, marking his Hindi debut.
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Ask News18Shiva Rajkumar apologized for mistakenly referring to Hindi as the “national language” during the launch event of his film Original Monster. He clarified that he was confused and intended to describe it as one of India’s languages, emphasizing the importance of Kannada and other Indian languages.
Ask News18September 09, 2026, 12:39 IST