Malayalam rap's provocateur, Vedan's battle with the system, his art & a #MeToo past

The Print

17-07-2025

The reason? As one of Kerala's most popular rap artists, he often finds himself under fire for his political lyrics that challenge caste hierarchies and social injustice.
Today, as a 30-year-old, Vedan feels like he's more 'hunted' than hunter in Kerala.
Thiruvananthapuram: As a child, he was nicknamed 'Vedan'—Malayalam for hunter—because of his extraordinary fishing skills.
The rapper has also had his fair share of controversies.
The latest one erupted after Calicut University included one of his songs, Bhoomi Njan Vaazhunna Idam, in the syllabus of the fourth-semester undergraduate Malayalam Language and Literature course last month. The university withdrew the decision Wednesday after an expert suggested its removal, following a complaint by a syndicate member affiliated with the BJP, who alleged that the song was 'inappropriate'.
Speaking to ThePrint, Vedan said, 'Personally, I feel like an artist should always be political and socially aware. An artist should be able to use art for both entertainment and the enlightenment of society and people.'
Vedan, a Dalit rapper whose real name is Hirandas Murali, said that he kept his nickname as his stage name to 'hunt the same abusive system' through his art.
A songwriter since his teenage years, Vedan rose to prominence with his powerful and often controversial lyrics, which are frequently shaped by his Dalit identity and experience of marginalisation.
At 25, he made waves with his debut album, Voice of the Voiceless, which featured provocative lines like, 'I am not Paanan, Parayan or Pulayan, and you are no lord. Even if you are, I don't give a f**k'.
Dressed in a black shirt, the young artist delivered his colourful verses, taking aim at entrenched casteism and amplifying the voices of communities pushed to the lowest rungs of the social hierarchy—including the three he named.
The inclusion and subsequent removal of his song from Calicut University's syllabus isn't his first brush with controversy.
In 2021, several women accused Vedan of sexual misconduct through social media as part of the #MeToo movement. After the allegation sparked backlash, Vedan issued a public apology.
In the past, too, the artist has clashed with BJP leaders in the state, who alleged that Vedan's songs were creating division among the Hindu community.
Vedan, however, remains unfazed and his shows continue to draw massive crowds. According to him, his sole mission is to bring about change through music.
'I've been going through a tough phase mentally; there have been a lot of personal challenges and ongoing issues that have taken a toll on me. But despite all of that, music continues to be my goal. It's the one thing I keep doing, no matter what I'm facing,' he said.
Also read: Kerala Left is becoming indistinguishable from Right—turncoats, ideological erosion, hypocrisy
Who is Vedan
Born in Thrissur, Vedan's mother is a Sri Lankan migrant and his father a daily-wage labourer from Palakkad. A close associate says the family has lived for years in rented houses in Thrissur and doesn't have a native village to call their own.
'Earlier, they were living in settlements for workers. Even now, they keep moving between different houses in and around the area,' the associate said.
Vedan studied up to Class 12 and did odd jobs until he became a musician. As a kid, he used to sing with local music troupes as a hobby. A friend of Vedan's said that the artist started writing as a teenager and was introduced to rap music by another friend.
'More than wanting to make a statement, he wanted to write about what he saw around us. Eventually, it became a statement about his surroundings,' the friend said.
A few years later, Voice of the Voiceless was released. He added that Vedan's music blends Malayalam folk music with Western rap, giving it a rooted yet contemporary feel.
'Like Bob Marley, Tupac and Michael Jackson, artists whose names still live on. Their music still matters, long after they're gone. I want to be remembered like that. Not just as a musician, but as someone who brought change through his art to society and people,' Vedan said.
'Bhoomi Njan Vaazhunna Idam' & other controversies
The latest controversy stemmed from the lyrics of Vedan's song Bhoomi Njan Vaazhunna Idam, which were included in the syllabus for Calicut University's BA Malayalam Literature course.
In the Arctic, the ice melted and flowed into the sea, hiding the shores.
In New York, the breath of the son of the soil was stilled, and battles raged.
In Palestine, exodus upon exodus became a recurring fate.
Beneath your red flag, oh China, the scent of the Quran burning spread.
The song, which begins with references to the Syrian Civil War, touches upon the Myanmar civil war and goes on to say that 'Mother India is wandering in search of light in the devilry of religion.'
The song was included alongside Michael Jackson's iconic protest song, They Don't Care About Us, for a comparative study of the differences and connections between American rap music and Malayalam rap music.
However, the university's decision sparked a row after a BJP representative in the syndicate submitted a complaint to Calicut University Chancellor and Governor Rajendra Arlekar.
Following this, Calicut University Vice Chancellor Dr. P. Raveendran asked Dr. M. M. Basheer, literary critic and former head of the university's Malayalam department, to look into the matter last week.
Speaking to ThePrint, Raveendran said the inclusion of the song was based on the academic board's recommendation.
'Many raise doubts about whether he is becoming the puppet of Islamic terrorists. People like Sree Narayana Guru have done much work to eradicate casteism, and casteism has reduced to an extent in Kerala. So, highlighting this again will only split Hindus and create a division of Savarna and Avarna communities,' B. Gopalakrishnan, an advocate and a state BJP leader, said to ThePrint.
Vedan has stirred political controversy in the state in the past too.
In late May, Palakkad Municipality councillor Mini Krishnakumar filed a complaint with the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, alleging that Vedan insulted Prime Minister Narendra Modi in one of his songs.
The complaint related to Voice of the Voiceless, a track released 4 years ago, which includes terms such as 'pseudo-nationalist' and lines that translate to 'The country is in the hands of the one who wields the sword,' which Mini claimed was a direct insult to Modi.
Earlier in May, Vedan was arrested along with eight others after police allegedly seized six grams of ganja from his apartment in Tripunithura near Kochi.
Though he was released on bail, the rapper was arrested again the same day by Kodanad forest range officials for allegedly wearing a chain with a suspected tiger's tooth. He was booked under non-bailable charges under multiple sections of the Wildlife Protection Act.
He was granted bail 2 days later by a court in Ernakulam. However, his back-to-back arrests sparked controversy in the state, with many alleging he was being targeted for his caste and politics.
Amid growing controversy, Kerala Forest Minister A.K. Saseendran called the arrest and subsequent incidents unfortunate.
The minister said in a statement he had sought explanations from Kodanad forest department officials for interacting with the media and violating the code of conduct. Weeks later, Kodanad forest range officer R. Atheesh was transferred.
While admitting that the string of controversies had affected him, Vedan said that it allowed his personality to evolve.
'I also feel there's a big difference between the Vedan who became an artist and the Vedan from before. I don't know if I can ever go back to being the person I was before all of this happened,' Vedan said.
(Edited by Sugita Katyal)
Also read: How rapper Vedan's arrest in back-to-back cases has sparked debate on caste & suppression in Kerala