Chinmayi Sripaada Criticizes Vairamuthu Award Support Over MeToo Claims

Singer Chinmayi Sripaada has publicly criticized prominent figures in the South Indian film industry and politics for congratulating Tamil poet and lyricist Vairamuthu on his selection for the 60th Jnanpith Award, India's highest literary honor, reigniting discussions over sexual misconduct allegations from the 2018 MeToo movement.

Vairamuthu, a veteran lyricist known for his contributions to Tamil literature and cinema, was announced as the recipient of the award earlier this week. The recognition highlights his extensive body of work, including over 40 books of poetry and novels since his debut in 1972. However, the announcement prompted sharp backlash from Sripaada, who in 2018 accused Vairamuthu of molestation and supported similar claims by several other women across different age groups. Vairamuthu has denied the allegations, describing them as motivated by ulterior motives.

Sripaada, a playback singer and dubbing artist, took to X, formerly Twitter, to question the endorsements from actors Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth, as well as politician and actor Pawan Kalyan. In one post, she wrote, "In 2018, multiple women of different age groups named one Poet Lyricist as their...