Shivarajkumar Sparks Debate Over “National Language” Remark at Original Monster Launch

By Entertainment Bureau

Bangalore Mail

BENGALURU: Kannada cinema superstar Shiva Rajkumar found himself at the center of a buzzing online discussion following his candid remarks during the muhurat and title announcement of his upcoming film, Original Monster.

Directed by R. Chandru, Original Monster marks the veteran actor’s debut in Hindi cinema, as the film is being shot simultaneously in Kannada and Hindi. When reporters at the press event questioned his comfort level with speaking Hindi dialogues for the bilingual project, the actor brushed off concerns with characteristic ease.

“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,” Shiva Rajkumar stated during the media interaction.

Online Reactions and Context

The superstar’s casual reference to Hindi as the “national language” quickly caught the attention of social media users across Karnataka and sparked a lively debate online.

While language activists pointed out that the Indian Constitution designates official languages rather than a single national language, fans and industry insiders came to the actor’s defense. Supporters noted that Shiva Rajkumar was simply emphasizing Hindi’s widespread reach across the country and expressing his readiness to connect with a pan-Indian audience.