Latest news with #Sreejith
Time of India
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Did saree label 'Suta' copy a design from 'Rouka'? Designer Sreejith Jeevan calls out the brand for copying his design
Designer Sreejith Jeevan of Rouka by Sreejith Jeevan, has ignited a debate about plagiarism in Indian fashion. He subtly called out Suta, a popular saree brand, for allegedly copying his designs, particularly an ivory saree with red floral appliqué. While avoiding legal action due to resource constraints, Jeevan seeks acknowledgment of original work. There's fashion inspiration and then there's fashion imitation. And it looks like beloved saree label Suta may have crossed the line. In a heartfelt Instagram video posted on July 31, designer Sreejith Jeevan, the creative force behind Kerala-based brand Rouka by Sreejith Jeevan, finally addressed something that's clearly been bothering him (and many other designers) for a while now: plagiarism in fashion. While Sreejith didn't name names in the original video, his followers did all the talking. Soon after, Instagram Stories flooded in showing screenshots of a Suta saree that looked strikingly similar to one Rouka has been retailing, an ivory drape with red floral appliqué. Followers began tagging Suta directly, calling them out for what appeared to be a not-so-subtle copy. In his video, Sreejith admitted that this wasn't the first time his work had been 'borrowed.' Since 2015, he's been creating Onam collections that are deeply rooted in Kerala's culture and minimalism, something he's seen slowly being picked up (and not always credited) by brands whose aesthetic had never been remotely similar before. While he once brushed it off with the age-old 'imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,' he revealed that seeing a direct copy of a design from 2019-2020, right down to the artwork, was the final straw But what really struck a chord was how open he was about the emotional toll. Sreejith shared how people would DM him about the similarities but hesitate to speak up publicly. 'They'd message me screenshots and say, 'This looks like yours!' But when I asked them to call it out, they'd say, 'No no no, we can't put it out,'' he said. And honestly, he gets it. Not everyone wants to get into messy fashion fights. But that silence added to his sense of helplessness. Legal action? Not worth it, Sreejith explained. As an independent designer, spending time and money on court cases isn't practical. 'We don't want to pour resources into IP battles, we just want people to acknowledge where something came from,' he said. And that's exactly what happened this time. His brave decision to finally speak up triggered an outpouring of support from the fashion community, with many coming forward to say, 'Hey, Rouka did it first. ' While Suta hasn't officially responded yet, the internet is buzzing. One thing's for sure, conversations around design ethics and original creativity in Indian fashion are long overdue. And this incident? It's definitely sparked one.
Hindustan Times
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Saree label Suta faces online backlash amid plagiarism accusation by Kerala brand Rouka: 'Shamelessly copying original'
Suta has been accused of plagiarism. In an Instagram video he posted on July 31, designer Sreejith Jeevan, creative head of the Kerala brand Rouka by Sreejith Jeevan, spoke in detail about how fashion designers face significant challenges with creative duplication within their industry, navigating issues ranging from direct copying to subtle inspirations. Also read | Westside 'takes jewellery off website' after a brand accuses it of plagiarism, 'carelessly stealing work': See posts The controversy revolves around Suta allegedly copying Rouka's designs. ( and Instagram/ roukabysreejithjeevan) Reactions on social media While he did not take names in the video he posted on July 31, the designer re-shared and shared a series of Instagram Stories of people who stood up for him and his brand by tagging Suta, a popular saree label, and sharing screenshots of Suta selling an ivory saree with red floral applique, similar to the one Rouka has been selling on their website. A person said, 'Shame on Suta for shamelessly copying an original design by Rouka. This is not the first time they have taken someone else's design and marketed it. As a policy, I will never buy a Suta saree. They have zero ethics. I had one (Suta saree) and I gave it away.' Another said about Sreejith on their Instagram Stories, which the designer re-shared: 'I have known this creative soul since 1999, strongly built on values, vision, and originality. Now, I am watching big brands copy-paste his work like it is a school assignment. Shamelessly much? At least change the colour, you all. I am proud of my friend. I am disappointed in the brand, especially since I was a fan of their story and products.' Designer Sreejith Jeevan, creative head of the Kerala brand Rouka has been sharing and re-sharing Instagram Stories about Suta imitating his designs. (Instagram/ roukabysreejithjeevan) What did Rouka designer say? In the video he posted, Sreejith said, 'I think after what has happened yesterday, I have realised that there is a need to be more vocal about what I feel and what I think.' He went on to narrate how he started creating Onam collections rooted in Kerala culture in 2015, and observed other brands adopting his collections' styles, even when it wasn't their brand's usual aesthetic. Sreejith shared that he initially felt bad about this copying, but over time, he started to accept it, viewing 'imitation as a sort of flattery'. While highlighting the key challenges designers face in addressing duplication, Sreejith also shared why he was reluctant to take legal action. Sreejith added that people who noticed copies of his designs, and messaged him, were often hesitant to speak out publicly, for various reasons. 'Maybe nobody's going to stand up for me' He said, 'Ultimately, we would feel bad about the fact that my God, this is something that we developed and this is a genre that belongs to us. So every time somebody would message me, I would say, \Why don't you put it out', and they would say, 'No no no we can't put it out'... so a lot of this communication would happen in my inbox and over time I also sort of subconsciously started to accept the fact that maybe nobody's going to stand up for me. Maybe nobody's going to have this tough conversation on my behalf. People would tell me, 'Why don't you file a case or why don't you go out and deal with it legally?' But let's be honest, we don't have the time for it. We don't want to put our resources into court cases or IP issues or any of that. What we want is for people to stand up and say, 'Hello, this is what Rauka did', and I think that's what happened yesterday – finally'.' The designer further said that his approach shifted dramatically when faced with an exact copy of one of his sarees, a design launched around 2019 or 2020. This instance was not merely 'influenced or inspired' but a 'ditto copy' of his original drawing. This prompted him to take a public stand. This decision to speak out publicly led to a significant outpouring of community support, Sreejith said, and many people 'stood up' for him. Hindustan Times has reached out to both brands for comment. The story will be updated when they respond.
Time of India
26-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
NEET aspirants seek more exam centres in state
T'puram: A majority of state's 20,000 aspirants, who registered for NEET PG 2025 examination, scheduled for Aug 3, got examination centres in far away places in other states. Only 13 examination centres were allotted for Kerala and these were filled within one hour of beginning the registration process on National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) portal. The centres were allotted through the portal on a first-come, first-served basis. As a result, many candidates who didn't secure centres in Kerala got centres in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Although many attempted to opt for centres in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, they were unsuccessful as those centres also filled up quickly. Indian Medical Association-Junior Doctors Network (IMA-JDN) has urged Union health minister to allot more examination centres either in the home state or in neighbouring cities. "We approached Centre a week ago, but there has been no favourable response yet from them," said Dr Sreejith N Kumar, national chairman of the network. The demand of aspirants taking the exam is that Union govt either increase number of seats at examination centres in Kerala or increase the number of examination centres. "We approached MPs from Kerala to exert pressure on Centre. While some students received centres in neighbouring cities, many others are being forced to undertake long, expensive and stressful journeys to unfamiliar destinations," said Dr Sreejith. tnn
The Hindu
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Choreographer Sreejith P: I am grateful, happy and proud about ‘Moonwalk'
When Moonwalk released in theatres, the most emotional of the film's crew at the first day, first show, was Sreejith P, the choreographer of the movie. 'Even though I had watched the final product, sitting there with the audience reminded me of the hard work and struggle that went into making it. I could not hold back my tears,' says the 53-year-old, also known as Sreejith P Dazzlers, as he runs the dance studio, Dazzlers, in Kochi. The film, he says, is special for him on many counts. Directed by ad filmmaker Vinod AK, it tells the stories of a few youngsters in Thiruvananthapuram of the late '80s in love with breakdance and how they overcome obstacles to pursue their passion. The narrative is inspired by the real-life stories of many breakdancers of yesteryear from across Kerala, one of them being Sreejith himself. 'I entered the field at a time when the dance scene in Kerala was on the cusp of change. Breakdance was nearing its sunset years, and cinematic dance moves were taking over. I could learn both, and that helped while working in the movie,' says Sreejith, who hails from Tripunithura near Kochi. Sreejith adds that he had once planned to make a movie on breakdance. 'I faced many difficulties to learn breakdance and wanted to tell that story through a movie. But back then I was not confident enough to make one. So when Vinod discussed the subject with me, I was excited to be part of it. We had worked on a few advertisements by then. He wanted to know my experiences, which I shared with him. I was happy that he was the one doing it because he has been a pathbreaker in the advertising industry. I knew that he could bring out the best in the artistes.' Moonwalk, he says, was no easy assignment. The actors, all new faces, despite being good dancers, were not familiar with the breakdance era. 'The narrative is such that these characters have only basic information about the style and know only a few moves, like mirror effect, arm wave, rope move, popping etc. It was difficult to mount a movie on just these steps. So I designed it in such a way that they gradually master the style and their skill peaks at the climax. That had to be done without making it boring.' The first step was making them develop the physique and the body control of a breaker. 'After training them to be proficient for the climax, we went to the beginning where they had to dance like beginners. It was difficult to show this variation.' Sreejith's introduction to breakdance happened when he was in Class 10, when he spent his vacation at a relative's house at Thoppumpady in Kochi. 'When I watched a duo performing it at a church festival I immediately fell in love with the music, the steps, the costumes etc. I met the dancer backstage, picked up some moves from him and showed off these steps in school.' He remembers the struggles behind choreographing a routine then. 'The first task was to find the cassette because I knew only the tune and not the lyrics. I went to music shops and sang the tune so that they recognised the song. Finally I found the cassette I was looking for. The bigger problem was getting hold of a tape recorder. So I pleaded with my family and even went on hunger strike until I got one. That was the level of craze I had for breakdance.' Later he trained in breakdance at Cochin Kalabhavan, the centre for learning performing arts in Kochi, under Johnson Master. 'I also attended a course by Attakkalari in Bengaluru, which inspired me to think of creating concept-based movements.' Moonwalk is set in Thiruvananthapuram, which had a breakdance style different from that of Kochi. Even then Sreejith was chosen as choreographer because he is familiar with Thiruvananthapuram style as well. 'The Kochi style was high on energy with heavy, power-packed moves, and elements of rock n' roll and disco, whereas in Thiruvananthapuram it was more stylish with focus on body postures and perfection. They had more knowledge as well, thanks to the reference material they had, that is video cassettes. Also, while Kochi dancers danced in flashy, glittery costumes, those of Thiruvananthapuram kept it formal.' He had picked up Thiruvananthapuram style from Footloosers, the pioneering breakdance academy in the State. 'We were fans of the vibe they created by blending dance and acrobatics. On Friday evenings, a group of us from Kochi would head to Thiruvananthapuram on our bikes. We practiced at Footloosers' studio or at Shanghumugham beach and returned on Sunday evening.' Fact file After making his debut in Malayalam cinema with Cinema Company (2012), Sreejith won the Kerala State Award for Best Choreography for Jo and the Boy (2015). He has choreographed for over 50 movies in Malayalam. He worked with AR Rahman on the video of the song 'Hope' from Aadujeevitham last year. Besides Dazzlers, Sreejith runs Boho Space in Tripunithura, a place meant for performance artistes who are looking for a space to work on their art. It is here that he work on his new thematic productions. Moonwalk has rejuvenated the breakdance community in Kerala, he feels. 'They saw themselves in the characters. We dancers have a special connection with our shoes. I still remember how happy I was when I saw a white Action shoe for the first time. Sura (Sibi Kuttappan), a character in the movie, feels immense joy when he gets such a shoe. While watching that scene at the theatre, we dancers looked at each other.' The film, he says, will remain a cherished chapter of his career. 'I am grateful, happy and proud. Back then we did not have many stages to perform. We were regulars at houses where weddings took place. That was where even non-dancers used to shake a leg. They also could relate to the movie.' Sreejith adds that the breakdance era has not ended. 'Many dancers disappeared from the scene and took up jobs forced by their circumstances. When these dancers were celebrated during the release of Moonwalk, the general tone was that there is no future for the style. But this will survive just like how theatre stood tall amidst the onslaught of several other forms of entertainment.' Sreejith says as a choreographer he is on an experimental journey at his venture, Boho Space. 'The attempt is to arrive at new concepts and movements. I am working on a project involving Virtual Reality. There is another production on the 'use and throw' concept, which, unfortunately, has seeped into relationships as well. I also plan to develop packages for those are emotionally stressed as dance relaxes you, makes you happy.' Meanwhile, he has also plans to direct a movie. 'Now I have gained confidence to approach the craft. So I might give a try in future.' Moonwalk is streaming on JioHotstar.
The Hindu
23-06-2025
- The Hindu
Physiotherapists in Kerala seek faster registration process to curb unauthorised practices
Physiotherapists in Kerala have flagged a disturbing trend of unauthorised persons entering their profession in the past two years. They claim that such people are bringing their job into disrepute by hiking the treatment costs and often being involved in sexual violence cases. According to functionaries of the Kerala Physiotherapists' Coordination (KAPC), those who reportedly practice alternative medicine or 'traditional medicine' such as hijama, acupuncture, and chiropractic (diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of musculoskeletal disorders) are also found to have been engaged in physiotherapy sessions as well after purchasing a couple of equipment for the purpose. P.S. Sreejith, president of the organisation, says that the main reason for such a situation is the delay in starting the registration process for physiotherapy professionals under the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions Act, 2021, in the State. The Act was brought in to ensure the regulation and maintenance of standards of education and services by allied and healthcare professionals. It also aims to assess the performance of institutions, maintain a Central Register and State Register, create a system to improve access, research and development, and adopt the latest scientific advancement. The KAPC functionaries point out that though a State-level commission was set up some time ago, its activities are going at a slow pace. Meanwhile, with some of the unauthorised practitioners getting involved in criminal cases, the profession is getting a bad press too. Mr. Sreejith says that only those who clear the Bachelor of Physiotherapy course are authorised to start the practice under the 2021 Act. One native of Idukki, who identified himself as a physiotherapist, was found to have been involved in a sexual violence case registered at the Nadakkavu police station in Kozhikode recently. Mr. Sreejith claims that the accused did not have any qualifications to work as a physiotherapist. He only had a diploma in chiropractic, that too is reported to be fake. In a complaint filed with the District Police Chief (Kozhikode City), the KAPC has sought an investigation into the professional identity of the Idukki native and initiation of legal action for impersonation and misrepresentation.
