Latest news with #Chinmayi
New Indian Express
a day ago
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Chinmayi Sripada on comparisons over 'Thug Life' song: ‘I want to apologise to Dhee'
Singer Chinmayi Sripada finds herself at the centre of attention for her stirring rendition of the song 'Mutha Mazhai' at the recent Thug Life audio launch. Her performance has ignited a social media frenzy, with fans demanding its inclusion in the film and drawing comparisons to Dhee's original version. Chinmayi, however, has quelled the debate, emphasising artistic camaraderie over competition. Addressing the latest surge in popularity and the ensuing comparisons in an interview with The Hindu, Chinmayi articulated her perspective. Describing it as a regular on-stage rendition of an original song, she said that it is not something she has done for the first time, citing her prior versions of KS Chithra and S Janaki's songs. Chinmayi also emphasised that she sang the Tamil version of the song at the audio launch of Thug Life due to the absence of its original singer, Dhee. Chinmayi then addressed the comparisons, expressing her discomfort. She said that Thug Life makers must have chosen Dhee for a 'quirky' version of the song. She then described Dhee's musical expression as being inimitable and called the comparison between their versions of the song unnecessary. 'It feels like we are part of a wrestling match that we did not sign up for,' said the 'Tere Bina' singer. She underscored the mutual respect prevalent among artists and even extended an apology to Dhee for the comparisons.
India Today
a day ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
Bring back Chinmayi: Samantha supports singer after being shadow-banned for 8 years
Actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu has joined the growing support for singer Chinmayi Sripada ever since her performance at 'Thug Life' song launch event went viral. Samantha took to her social media handle to praise Chinmayi's singing skills. She questioned the reason behind the ban on the the video shared by Samantha, Chinmayi was seen singing her version of 'Muththa Mazhai,' which was sung by Dhee for 'Thug Life.' While Dhee sang in Tamil, Chinmayi rendered her vocals for the Telugu and Hindi versions of the song in 'Thug Life'advertisementSamantha reposted the clip on her Instagram story, which was captioned, "Is this the voice that has been banned since 2018? Muththa Mazhai - Chinmayi version. Bring Back Chinmayi." Chinmayi was expelled from the South Indian Cine, Television Artistes and Dubbing Artistes Union (SICTADAU) in 2018. The singer faced the ban for publicly voicing her support towards women who accused the union's then-president, actor-politician Radha Ravi, of sexual harassment. She also previously expressed solidarity towards women for their brave stance in connection to the Hema Committee known for being vocal about MeToo cases in the entertainment industry, praised the hard-work of the team behind the Hema Committee and the members of the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), in an interview with India Today. She said, "The most important thing I want to mention here is that hats off to WCC. They came together to do something important. It has not been done in any other industry so far. Everyone is aware of these open secrets in all the industries. We are talking about sexual harassment and sexual abuse, and the abuse of power in multiple other industries."advertisementThe singer had accused lyricist Vairamuthu of sexual misconduct and spoken about it several times. Not just Chinmayi, nearly 20 women have levelled serious allegations against the lyricist. Chinmayi, known for her outspoken statements, took a jibe at award-winning lyricist for suggesting Hema Committee like panels across the took to her X handle and wrote, "Anywhere else this Tamilian Harvey Weinstein would be investigated at the very least. Gangrape cases have evidence fudged and dont get justice in our country so wishing for justice is too much in India. Almost 20 women have named Vairamuthu, yet the shamelessness to platform him requires a special wiring."Chinmayi recently expressed gratitude towards fans after her performance at 'Thug Life' music launch event went viral. She took to Instagram and wrote, "I received a whole lot of DMs from so many people but this - somewhere, somehow, if I was able to make someone feel believed - that it is Not Your Shame - I am grateful this lifetime gave me that chance." Chinmayi Sripada thanked fans for their love and support. (Credit: Instagram/chinmayisripaada) Chinmayi has dubbed for Trisha Krishnan and Mrunal Thakur for 'Leo' (2023) and 'Hi Nanna' (2023), Watch
News18
a day ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Fans Simply Loved Chinmayi Sripada's Performance At Thug Life Event
Last Updated: Chinmayi Sripada was ousted from the South Indian Cine, Television Artistes and Dubbing Artists Union (SICTADAU) after the Me Too movement in 2018. Singer Chinmayi Sripada captivated the audience with her soulful performance at the Thug Life audio launch event in Chennai. While the occasion was marked by some powerful performances, her rendering of the Telugu version of Muththa Mazhai stood out. Her recent act came as a big surprise for fans as it was her first appearance since she was ousted from the South Indian Cine, Television Artistes and Dubbing Artists Union (SICTADAU) after the Me Too movement in 2018. As clips from her performance surfaced on social media, fans showered praises on the singer, with many calling her ban a 'big loss to the Tamil cinema.' A user commented, 'At least now, those in the film industry who have power should stand in her support and lift the ban." Another one shared, 'Feeling bad for Chinmayi, a proven singer, overlooked due to politics…. I hope ARR uses her version." Among all, her close friend and actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu lauded the singer for her comeback. Taking to Instagram, the Kushi actress extended her support with the hashtag BringBackChinmayi. This was accompanied by a video of the singer's recent performance at the launch event. Composed by the musical maestro, AR Rahman, the original Tamil version of the track is sung by Singer Dhee, with lyrics from Siva Ananth. Directed by Mani Ratnam, the action drama film features Kamal Haasan, Trisha Krishnan, Silambarasan, Joju George, Nassar, Ali Fazal, Pankaj Tripathi and Aishwarya Lekshmi among others. It will be hitting the big screens on June 5. Coming back to Chinmayi, during the Me Too movement back in 2018, she alleged that lyricist Vairamuthu made advances towards her, highlighted claims and raised allegations against others in the music industry. Later on, she was banned from the South Indian Cine, Television Artistes, and Dubbing Artistes Union (SICTADAU) after she spoke out in support of those who had accused Radha Ravi, head of the dubbing union, of sexual harassment. Some of her notable songs include Titli from Chennai Express, O Kala Kathala from Dear Comrade, Iravingu Theevai from 96, Pranam from Jaanu, and Tere Bina from Guru, among others. First Published:
The Hindu
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Chinmayi interview on ‘Thug Life' song: ‘Despite praise, I feel numb'
Singer Chinmayi is back in the limelight. Her rendition of Tamil track 'Mutha Mazhai' at the recent Thug Life audio launch in Chennai is garnering a lot of praise. The interesting part is that Chinmayi has sung the Telugu and Hindi versions of this particular track composed by AR Rahman but not the Tamil version, which has been sung by singer Dhee, most popular for her 'Enjoy Enjaami'. 'When I sang it, it was just another performance. It was just like how I perform classics of other singers; I have sung S Janaki amma's, Chitra amma's songs on various stages in the past. I sang the Tamil version that evening because Dhee was not available. I was a stand-in,' she explains. That she might have been, but the version she dished out on stage, in the presence of thousands of fans and the entire starcast including Kamal Haasan, Silambarasan and Trisha, has gone viral; its official recording from music label Saregama Tamil has already hit more than 2 million views, with music fans demanding that it be included in the film's final version. 'When Dhee was cast, I'm sure they were going for something quirky. Dhee has a special musical expression, which cannot be imitated by anybody else. This whole talk about her version versus mine... it feels like we are part of a wrestling match that we did not sign up for. As artistes, we openly admire each other's work. It is not a competition,' she says, 'I want to apologise to Dhee. She's a young girl. To compare the two versions is not necessary at all.' Is Chinmayi banned? The recent limelight on her has not yet sunk in, she adds. 'Because, in the last seven years, my DMs have been filled with abuse. Somewhere, my emotions got numb after that and now, when there is so much adulation, I'm like, 'thank you, I guess'. While I'm truly grateful for this, I have become numb.' Chinmayi is, of course, referring to the years since 2018, when she named influential people in the film and music industry as part of the #MeToo movement. This, she says, has made unions within the industry 'ban' her, thus depriving her of singing and dubbing chances in Tamil films. 'There are 20-plus unions in the film industry, and members are usually part of multiple unions. The dubbing union banned me. Director Mithran had to make me dub in secret for Hero. I also dubbed for Leo, for which they tried to track down the studio where it was worked on. When a film comes to the dubbing stage, people are racing against time, and they don't have the bandwith to deal with such a 'ban',' she says. Facing repercussions for using her in films, many composers have opted for other available singers. 'A lot of music composers tell me that they want to make me sing, but that their producers wouldn't let them,' says Chinmayi, who describes the support of her family members and house owners as her biggest support, 'Directors CS Amudhan and PS Mithran and music composer Govind Vasantha have also supported me through this phase. Actress Samantha has been my greatest cheerleader through this, as have Kerala actresses Parvathy and Rima.' Musical discoverability Chinmayi burst into the Tamil music scene in 2002, with the blockbuster 'Oru Deivam' song in Kannathil Muthamittal, a film that was directed by Mani Ratnam and had music by AR Rahman. More than two decades later, her work in Thug Life, which is a film again from the same director-composer combination, is being discussed. How different were these two experiences? 'Nothing has changed. The working experience was the same. For Thug Life, Rahman sir sang a few lines, taught me and we worked on it.' The song showcases elements of Carnatic and qawwali as well. 'It showcases his creative genius; he may be given the same bag of rice, but he'll give you an entire 15-course menu with it.' Her performance at the Thug Life audio launch has, in turn, led to music fans discovering some of her older work. 'This happened when I did a Twitter Spaces concert during the pandemic. A lot of people then requested some older songs of mine too and they got a lease of life then. In general, my career is defined by tracks that people don't know I sang. If I ever have a live concert in Chennai, I will probably name it 'I did not know you sang that',' she laughs. That probably marks her musical versatility; Chinmayi sounds very different — from a melodious 'Sara Sara' to an energetic 'Mayya Mayya'. 'Many of my songs have been standalone hits, but listeners have not been able to make a connection and attribute it to me, though my name is in the credits. If a composer asks for a certain tonality, I do it and that change of shruti results in a change of voice and tone. Maybe some listeners do not make the connection that it is the same singer,' explains Chinmayi, who is looking forward to engage more with art and music in the future.
Pink Villa
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Meet singer, the voice behind iconic Tere Bina song from Guru, was banned and is going viral again for Thug Life's Muththa Mazhai
Trigger Warning: This article contains information about sexual assault that might be triggering for some readers. Chinmayi Sripada is back in the spotlight. The playback singer recently impressed audiences with her performance at the Thug Life pre-release event in Chennai. She sang her version of Muththa Mazhai and won hearts instantly. However, her return sparked discussions online and many wondered why she had been missing from Tamil cinema for so long. Before we delve into the issue, let's begin by understanding who she is. Who is Chinmayi? Chinmayi rose to prominence when she lent her voice to actress Sameera Reddy in the 2008 film Surya s/o Krishnan. She once again captured attention with her dubbing for the character Jessie in Ye Maaya Chesave. While she is widely recognized for her work as a dubbing artist, her career spans far beyond voice work. Born into a musically inclined family, she began training in classical music at a very young age. Her mother, a trained musician, played a significant role in shaping Chinmayi's foundation. With years of rigorous practice, the singer was well-prepared when she received her first playback opportunity from AR Rahman at just 15. She sang Oru Dheivam Thanta Poove for Kannathil Muthamittal. She has since sung in all four South Indian languages, Tulu, and Hindi. Some of her most memorable Bollywood songs are Tere Bina from Guru and Titli from Chennai Express. Raised in Chennai, she studied Telugu in school and shares a strong connection with the language. Chinmayi also has a special fondness for ghazals and Sufi music. Who is Chinmayi married to? Chinmayi and Rahul Ravindran began their relationship as friends. The couple tied the knot on May 5, 2014. Years later, on 18 June 2022, they became parents to twins, a boy and a girl, named Driptah and Sharvas. The singer shared the happy news on Instagram along with photos of the babies holding their parents' hands. Check out the post below: Why was Chinmayi banned? In November 2018, Chinmayi was expelled from the South Indian Cine, Television Artistes and Dubbing Artistes Union (SICTADAU). As per The News Minute, this happened shortly after she publicly supported two women who accused dubbing union president Radha Ravi of sexual misconduct. Her backing of the survivors came during a time when there were already concerns about his control over the committee. Around the same period, she also named renowned lyricist Vairamuthu as a sexual harasser. The Mayya singer revealed that an organizer in Switzerland had allegedly asked her to "cooperate" with him during a programme. Following these statements, Chinmayi faced direct consequences in her career. The singer reportedly lost several dubbing opportunities. In many instances, she was nearly finalized for a project, only to be removed at the last moment. After the 2018 film 96, she dubbed for only one Tamil film, Hero (2019). That too allegedly happened because her involvement was revealed just before the film's release. Chinmayi goes viral after Thug Life event Chinmayi presented her own version of Muththa Mazhai at the Thug Life event. It was originally sung by Dhee for the film. The music for the film is composed by AR Rahman, with lyrics penned by Siva Ananth. The event saw the presence of the film's lead actors including Kamal Haasan, Abhirami, Silambarasan TR, and Trisha Krishnan. Her video has since gone viral, and due to high demand, the makers even released a separate clip featuring the rendition. Watch her video from Thug Life event below:
