Actor Shiva Rajkumar calls Hindi national language, sparks social media debate

Kannada superstar Shiva Rajkumar has found himself embroiled in a language controversy after his remarks on Hindi being a national language ignited a heated debate on social media. The comment, made at a film event on Monday, has received backlash from all quarters.Speaking at the title launch of his upcoming film Original Monster, the actor was asked about delivering Hindi dialogues in the pan-India project, which is being made in Kannada and Hindi. Responding to the question, Shiva Rajkumar 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 has since drawn criticism on social media, with some users questioning his reference to Hindi as a “national language”. However, several of his fans have defended the actor, arguing that he was referring to Hindi as a language spoken across the country and was highlighting its reach among audiences nationwide.One user wrote that his father, Dr Rajkumar, would be disappointed with his comments. The comments came during the launch of Original Monster, Shiva Rajkumar’s collaboration with filmmaker R Chandru. The film marks the actor’s Hindi debut and is being made as a multilingual action drama. Set between the 1990s and 2000, the story explores themes of strength, violence, money and human nature.Talking about the film, Shiva Rajkumar said the title refers to the possibility of a monster existing within mankind itself. “I am not saying this is a subject that has never come before. There is entertainment and there is a message,” he said, adding that the film revolves around strength and mankind. The film, directed by Kabzaa fame R Chandru, recently began production in Bengaluru with a traditional muhurat ceremony. Producers Uday K Mehta, BK Gangadhar and Geetha Shivarajkumar are backing the project, with Anand Pandit also associated with the film. B Ajaneesh Loknath is composing the music, while AJ Shetty is handling cinematography.Meanwhile, Original Monster has also been compared with Salman Khan’s upcoming Monster, directed by Vamshi Paidipally. Addressing the comparisons, Shiva Rajkumar said the two films have completely different stories and stressed that there is no “Shiva vs Salman” equation. He also expressed hope that he and Salman could work together in a film in the future.- EndsPublished By: T Naga Maruthi AcharyaPublished On: Sep 8, 2026 13:38 IST