‘Alternative voice identified for Emkoney’: Makers of ‘Draupathi 2’ drop Chinmayi Sripada

The makers of the upcoming historical epic ‘Draupathi 2’ have officially confirmed that the version of the song Emkoney sung by Chinmayi Sripaada will not be part of the film’s theatrical release, drawing a clear line under a controversy that has sparked intense debate across the Tamil film industry.

Addressing the media in Chennai, director Mohan G Kshatriyan and producer Chola Shakkaravarthi said the decision to replace the singer was final. The makers have already identified an alternative voice for Emkoney, which will now appear in the film in a completely new rendition.

“The song remains, but the voice will be different,” the producer said, signalling that Chinmayi’s version has been entirely excluded from the theatrical cut.

The move follows Chinmayi’s widely shared social media post in which she issued an apology for singing the song. The singer stated that she had recorded Emkoney without being aware of the song’s context or the ideological framework of the film.

She said she was called in by composer Ghibran Vaibodha’s office, completed the recording as a routine session, and only later realised what the film stood for. Calling the collaboration a mistake, she asserted that she would never have lent her voice had she known the context earlier.

Also read: ‘If I had known, I’d never have sung it’: Chinmayi Sripada responds after learning controversial context of Ghibran track

 Director Kshatriyan, however, said the apology had caused reputational damage to the film. He claimed he waited until last week for a response from the singer before taking action.

Complaints have now been filed with the director’s union and the producers’ council, alleging that the film was publicly defamed “without any cause.” The issue has since been referred to FEFSI, though the director admitted the process could take time.

Meanwhile, expectations around ‘Draupathi 2’ remain high. Mounted as a grand, multilingual period drama rooted in 14th-century South India, the film draws inspiration from historical texts, including a book by historian Annal Kandar. While the makers insist that key historical events are factual, they acknowledge taking cinematic liberties in character development.

Buzz around the film intensified recently with the release of a poster featuring Chirag Jani as Mohammad Bin Tughlaq, described as a “first-level antagonist.” Sources say the film will feature three formidable villains.

Fresh out of post-production, ‘Draupathi 2’ has been cleared by the CBFC with a U/A certificate. The film stars Richard Rishi in the lead, alongside Rakshana Indusudan, with Natti Natraj in a pivotal role—ensuring that even without Chinmayi’s voice, the drama around the film is anything but muted.