Vairamuthu may be a good poet, but he is not that good a human being; Gangai Amaran supports Chinmayi

Chennai: Playback singer Chinmayi Sripada, who accused renowned lyricist and poet Vairamuthu of sexual misconduct during the #MeToo movement in 2018, has since faced intense trolling and online abuse. Years after the controversy first surfaced, veteran composer, director, and lyricist Gangai Amaran has publicly voiced his support for Chinmayi, referring to his long-time friend Vairamuthu as a "not so good human being".

In a recent interview with Galatta, Gangai Amaran, who is also the brother of music maestro Ilaiyaraaja, stated this candidly. Referring to the allegations made by Chinmayi during the peak of the MeToo movement in 2018, he remarked that he felt the need to participate in an event held in her support, moved by the injustices she had faced.

He also said that Chinmayi has struggled a lot to become the accomplished playback singer she is today. He further added that Vairamuthu has been portrayed with a positive image, and Chinmayi was vilified for speaking the truth. At that time, not a single person from the industry stood by her.

Gangai Amaran further opened up: "When a woman raises her voice against injustice, we must stand with her. I strongly condemn those who chose silence, as well as the political parties that continue to support someone accused of misconduct."

Addressing his friendship with Vairamuthu, Gangai Amaran made it clear that friendship should not come in the way of holding someone accountable. “Just because he is my friend, it doesn't mean I should stay silent when he does something wrong. He further questioned, 'Is it possible for me to ask Chinmayi to keep silence against him? There is no doubt he is a gifted poet, but that doesn’t make him a good human being.”

Chinmayi had earlier alleged that Vairamuthu had made inappropriate advances towards her in 2005, demanding her cooperation in exchange for professional opportunities. Though Vairamuthu has denied the allegations, Chinmayi has since faced huge professional setbacks, including an unofficial ban from the Tamil film industry.

However, in a notable shift, she recently lent her voice to a song in the film Aadujeevitham, suggesting a possible slow return to mainstream playback singing.