March 15, 2025: Actor-politician Prakash Raj has taken a strong stance against Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan over his comments regarding the imposition of the Hindi language.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, Prakash Raj accused Kalyan of attempting to “impose Hindi” on people, asserting that it wasn’t about opposing another language but rather about protecting one’s mother tongue and cultural identity.
Prakash Raj’s comments were a direct response to Kalyan’s recent speech during the Jana Sena Party’s 12th foundation day celebrations in Kakinada, Pithampuram. Kalyan had criticized Tamil Nadu politicians for what he perceived as hypocrisy, claiming that while they oppose the imposition of Hindi, they have no issues with Tamil movies being dubbed into Hindi for financial reasons. He questioned the logic of opposing Hindi while accepting the financial benefits from Bollywood, asking, “Why do Tamil Nadu politicians oppose Hindi while allowing their movies to be dubbed in Hindi for financial gain? They want money from Bollywood but refuse to accept Hindi—what kind of logic is that?”
Kalyan’s comments were made amid the ongoing controversy over the Union government’s push for a three-language formula, which includes Hindi, leading to protests in Tamil Nadu, where Chief Minister MK Stalin has vocally opposed the imposition of Hindi, and his state has refused to adopt the three-language formula.
In his post, Prakash Raj called on Kalyan to understand the need for protecting regional languages and identities, urging him not to impose Hindi on others. Raj emphasized that this issue was not about hating any language but about maintaining self-respect and the preservation of one’s cultural roots.
This exchange has sparked further debate over language politics in India, particularly the role of Hindi in states where regional languages are a significant part of cultural identity.