Behind Chinmayi’s Irresistible ‘Muththa Mazhai’ Is The Story of A Banned Singer

When Tamil musician Chinmayi Sripada performed AR Rahman’s ‘Muththa Mazhai’, a beautifully tender love track, at the audio launch of Thug Life on May 24, she was just covering for the original singer of the song, Dhee, who was unavailable at the time.

Moments after the performance was released to the public, the song attained what you’d call viral status. Music label Saregama Tamil culled out her rendition from the event, and released it as a four-minute-long video on YouTube — it has since reached over nine million views in a week, continuing to trend number one on Music on the platform. As the song took on a life of its own, with the singer usurping everyone’s playlists, it left listeners wondering… where did Chinmayi go? 

“People didn't know I was banned, and that is my greatest shock,” the singer and voice actor tells The Hollywood Reporter India over a call from Chennai.

The singer, who was one of the patrons of the MeToo movement from the south, named veteran Tamil poet and film lyricist Vairamuthu as her molester in 2018. It was also then that she publicly supported women who accused Tamil actor Radha Ravi, who was also the then-president of the South Indian Cine, Television Artistes and Dubbing Artistes Union (SICTADAU), which Chinmayi was a part of. This eventually led to Chinmayi’s ban from the dubbing union, which cited her alleged default in payment of the annual subscription fee of a meagre ₹250 as the reason for her expulsion. This further prevented dubbing gigs and, more importantly, singing opportunities in Tamil for the singer.

The award-winning musician has sung over 250 songs in Tamil films since her debut in Mani Ratnam’s Kannathil Muthamittal (2002), but in the last seven years since the ban, the number has dropped to 41. She continues to dub for popular female stars and sing in Telugu, Malayalam, and Marathi. Even as her six-year-long legal battle to get the ban overturned has been ongoing, the singer has been relentlessly using her social media platforms to educate followers on consent and the #MeToo movement.

Chinmayi is grateful for the recent adulation, but she says her lived reality tells another story. “Between all of this I have to go to court tomorrow. God knows what will happen. That is my reality.”

Edited excerpts from a conversation:

How was it for you to perform on stage at the Thug Life audio launch?

There was a lot of back and forth about this. With less than 18 hours of notice, they told me that I was performing. I was supposed to do Telugu, Hindi, and cover for Tamil because Dhee wasn't coming (Chinmayi has rendered the song in Telugu and Hindi languages for the film’s dubbed versions).

Chinmayi Sripada at the 'Thug Life' event

Did you expect this sort of response for your performance? 

I felt as though, "Oh nice, they think I sing well." (laughs). It is all very new to me. Thank you, I guess?

It is not coming from a space of ungratefulness or something. But nobody in the industry has said a word publicly. Some of them are apparently upset that it has (the entire event) become about me. I went and sang because Rahman sir told me to. It's not the first time that another singer has performed at an AR Rahman audio launch. Dhee's lines from her song in Kadhalikka Neramillai (2025) were sung by another singer. ‘O Raaya’ from Raayan (2024) was sung by Ganavya originally and was sung by Alexandra (Joy) at the film’s audio launch. It's no big deal. 

Somebody cut a video of my performance and sent it to me. I shared it as I share all my videos. Even if I had crores of money at my disposal, I don't think this (the song’s popularity) could be engineered. 

Do you think this adulation also throws some light on the ban, your situation and the endless battle you've been fighting?

Yeah, people didn't know I was banned, and that is my greatest shock. There are so many times Rahul (Ravindran, her husband) has turned around and said, "You've spoken about this enough and that this might prevent any work that comes your way." I had to go to court the day my father-in-law passed away. That's how tough the system is. 

Can you take us through how the dubbing union ban prevents a lot of the musical opportunities, too?

I had my greatest feat in my career in 96 (The musician dubbed for actress Trisha and was the primary singer in the 2018 Tamil film). It was the greatest showcase of my talent as both a dubbing artist and a singer. 

Ten days after its release, the MeToo movement broke out in India, and by the end of October, I had outed Vairamuthu. And by then, Radha Ravi had banned me. And in January, we filed our case. People in the industry can hold different positions and memberships in different unions. So, when you get banned by one union among the 23 unions governed by FEFSI (Film Employees Federation of South India, a trade union of technicians in the Tamil film industry), they send out a non-cooperation circular on behalf of the union, asking people not to cooperate and work with you. I'm not the only one who has been banned. They have destroyed the careers of many before me. It's probably on their grave that I'm standing and talking.

Chinmayi Sripada

Tell us about your legal fight to revoke your ban?

A lot of people have asked me if I will get to work again even if I win the case. But that's alright. At least I'll have a paper on hand saying that, "You can't ban me.” That is something that I'm looking for as proof. Radha Ravi has said, 'Go to court, it'll take 20 years and by then no one will remember you." They have a lot of money, power and clout.

This is the only union in the country that compulsorily takes 10 per cent of our income. I have earned lakhs of money for them, couldn't they have taken ₹100 from that (for the membership payment)? They pay for other major actors and actresses. I don't want this to sound like an attack, but they have different rules for different people. The moment it becomes uncomfortable, they give you a red card.

How important is it for people to know of these issues and develop solidarity?

I'm grateful for the support, but I keep telling them to translate all of this support into some action in their own circle. Ask for the ICC (Internal Complaints Committee) at the workplace. How many industries today have ICCs? 

Despite the ban, you were able to dub for limited films such as Hero (2019) and Leo (2023) due to support from directors Lokesh Kanagaraj and PS Mithran. How did that feel? 

Mithran was the first person who went through a lot of issues at the director's council because I had dubbed for the film. When Lokesh Kanagaraj called me to dub for Leo, I had no hopes as I thought I'd be replaced. But that ended up being my debut dubbing in Kannada. I sat in front of the mic and cried because that was a big moment for me.

What I know is that they (the dubbing union) tried to ban the engineer who recorded me. They have people stationed in every studio to check if I'm entering the studios. This is how they utilise their energies.

There is a collective angst among admirers of your voice, who miss listening to you sing in Tamil. Do you share the feeling?

I definitely miss singing Tamil songs. But it's like your home has become toxic, and you have to leave. It is sad, but that is the lived reality. When you watch your own fraternity protect and promote molesters and whitewash them, it's sad. I guess I just miss dubbing and recording in films. I got to do something as fantastic as 96 when my (Tamil) career ended, so I felt it was a nice film to end with.