On Wednesday evening, Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn set himself up when he tweeted out using Hindi text asking Kannada actor Kichca Sudeep why the latter dubs his films in Hindi if he doesn't consider Hindi as the national language. To the unversed, India as a multilingual country has been facing (and resisting) the thrust of Hindi language from its current establishment. While Hindi is majorly spoken and understood in several parts of the country, English continues to be the unifying language and the country is divided over whether or not Hindi should replace English for this unifying purpose.
While the political right and its supporters are in favour of Hindi taking over, parts of India like the North-east and South are opposed to the same leading to movements like 'Stop Hindi Imposition'. This has also lead to people often confusing the official languages of India (Hindi, English) with one National language which constitutionally is none at the moment.
Ajay Devgn for some bizzare reason seemed to parrot the sentiments of Hindi supremacists on Wednesday when he tweeted, " @KicchaSudeep my brother, According to you if Hindi is not our national language then why do you release your mother tongue movies by dubbing them in Hindi? Hindi was, is and always will be our mother tongue and national language. Jan Gan Man ." Ajay's tweet came after Kichcha Sudeep stated at an event that KGF: Chapter 2 alone shouldn't be termed as a PAN-Indian cinema just because it was dubbed and released in Hindi. He justified that Hindi movies are also dubbed in several south languages but they aren't called PAN-Indian release for that reason.
In this context of Kannada movies (KGF: Chapter 1, KGF: Chapter 2) / Telugu movies (Baahubali: The Beginning, Baahubali: The Conclusion, Pushpa: The Rise, RRR) reaching a wider audience than Hindi movies, Kichcha Sudeep stated, "Hindi is no more the national language". Ajay Devgn might have admitted and regretted to misunderstanding Sudeep's context, but the internet was in no mood to let Devgn go that easy.
I love and respect every language of our country sir. I would want this topic to rest,,, as I said the line in a totally different context.
— Kichcha Sudeepa (@KicchaSudeep) April 27, 2022
Mch luv and wshs to you always.
Hoping to seeing you soon.
🥳🥂🤜🏻🤛🏻
And sir @ajaydevgn ,,
— Kichcha Sudeepa (@KicchaSudeep) April 27, 2022
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.
🥂
Translation & interpretations are perspectives sir. Tats the reason not reacting wothout knowing the complete matter,,,matters.:)
— Kichcha Sudeepa (@KicchaSudeep) April 27, 2022
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
Ajay Devgn Please Study First standard text book, again. India has no national language. 🤦🏻 @ajaydevgn pic.twitter.com/gVIsHTujzc
— Madan Gowri (@madan3) April 27, 2022
Says the man who acted in the Hindi remake of Malayalam movie “Drishyum” and Tamil movie “Singam” https://t.co/6SKjebzhLo
— Vignesh (@vmvignesh) April 27, 2022
Lol Ajay Devgn really thought that his "nationalistic" tweet (deliberately misinterpreting Kiccha's view) will make him a soc media star in this present environment where nationalistic fervour is on an all-time high
— Bala (@Bala__G) April 27, 2022
"I understood the text in #Hindi...but what if my message was typed in #Kannada." This pretty much sums it up. Well said @KicchaSudeep #Sudeep #KichchaSudeep #AjayDevgn https://t.co/wkQJDY47jA
— Abhimanyu Mathur (@MadCrazyHatter_) April 27, 2022
And Drishyam is also remake of Malyalam film Drishyam.
— Ravindra Gautam (@RavindraGautam_) April 28, 2022
BJP-RSS both have started language war among states.Lets respect all the languages.All languages are important part of our beautiful country.We all have to develop this beautiful country together.We are Indians.Tons of good wishes to all Indians.
— Fazle Alam (@fazle_alam) April 27, 2022
Hindi is one of the official languages... Ajay Devgn's statement is not based on fact: @singersrinivas.@Akshita_N #AjayDevgn pic.twitter.com/RwZiqnWyNw
— IndiaToday (@IndiaToday) April 28, 2022
In the Morning all wer saying 'Ajay Devgn's Runway'
— CL Ramakrishnan (@kishen05journo) April 27, 2022
By Evening all started saying 'Run Away #AjayDevgn'
One illogical tweet from Ajay Devgn was all it took for the situation to change#KicchaSudeep #HindiImposition #StopHindilmposition#HindiIsNotNationalLanguage
This whole exchange just shows class.
— Sohom.txt (@sohom83) April 28, 2022
Massive respect brother. https://t.co/22hGOYeR1o
Like the PROOF of the PUDDING is in the eating , the runway 34 collections will prove how much GOLD (kgf2) is there in HINDI versus KANNADA .. @ajaydevgn versus @KicchaSudeep
— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) April 27, 2022
.@KicchaSudeep oh-so-subtly exposing the sense of entitlement oozing from the tone & tenor of Hindi supremacists with respect to other languages of India. https://t.co/dMlRs1fiFS
— Anusha Ravi Sood (@anusharavi10) April 27, 2022
@KicchaSudeep beautifully handled the misunderstanding and in a gracious manner.
— 🇮🇳अक्षय जैन Akshay S Jain (माहुरकर)🇮🇳 (@jainakshays) April 27, 2022
Hope we all understand the meaning of communication gap and fill it with proper conversations instead of going in public.https://t.co/75wdYHuwCN
I would have loved @KicchaSudeep to ask this sellout self proclaimed nationalist @ajaydevgn to prove from one official source that Hindi is a national language. These PR hungry punks come out with no knowledge whatsoever and dish out nationalism certificates left right centre. https://t.co/Hgti2o1q4h
— Gunn Runner (@Gooner_S) April 27, 2022
Kiccha Sudeepa just destroyed Ajay Devgn in a single sentence
— Karthik Reddy 🇮🇳 (@bykarthikreddy) April 27, 2022
"What would the situation be if my response was typed in Kannada" ?
Everyone being Dr Jaishankar these days. pic.twitter.com/cc7AZZFcNn
Kichcha Sudeepa began with a very humble and graceful reply but then ended with a chokeslam 😂😂🔥🔥🔥 https://t.co/pPyRvjYCut
— Bhaarath Vaasi 🇮🇳 (@bhaarathvaasi) April 27, 2022
kichha sudeepa supremacy hes single handedly carrying us 😩💅🏼🧎🏽♀️🤌🏼
— chimkentikka (@sanjanaorwtv) April 27, 2022
Indeed @KicchaSudeep reverted back like a boss with grace.. More power to u Sudeep.. https://t.co/N4BYNN3Fci
— Ria (@RiaRevealed) April 27, 2022