Seven years on… Playback singer Chinmayi Sripaada remains unofficially banned from the Tamil film industry after she named renowned lyricist Vairamuthu in the MeToo movement. However now, her voice is once again making waves in Tamil Nadu, cutting across the silence imposed on her. A growing chorus of voices on social media is demanding her return to Tamil cinema.

At the audio launch of Mani Ratnam’s upcoming film Thug Life, Chinmayi sang the Tamil version of the track Muththa Mazhai, originally performed in the Tamil version by singer Dhee. In Dhee’s absence, Chinmayi rendered the song — which she also performed for the Telugu and Hindi versions of the film. Her version from the audio launch went viral, surpassing the popularity of the original track on social media. As a result, the hashtag #BringBackChinmayi began trending across platforms.
 

It was in 2018 that Chinmayi publicly accused lyricist Vairamuthu of sexual misconduct as part of the MeToo movement. She alleged that he harassed her during a cultural event titled Veezhamattam in Switzerland back in 2005. Her revelation sent shockwaves through the Tamil music industry. Though Vairamuthu denied the allegations, Chinmayi firmly stood by her statement, calling his denials false. She remains one of the earliest voices from the Indian film industry to speak up under the MeToo banner.

Following her accusations, the South Indian Cine, Television Artistes and Dubbing Artistes Union ousted her, effectively banning her from working in Tamil cinema. The last Tamil film she sang for was 96.

In all these years, the kind of support Chinmayi has now received — triggered by a single song at an audio launch — had remained elusive. Fans on social media have come out in strong solidarity, saying it was not Chinmayi’s loss but Tamil cinema’s. “You may try to cancel the name Chinmayi,” one viral post read, “but you will never be able to silence that voice”.