5 times when lyrics in Tamil film songs courted controversy

A group of people or a community getting offended because of the content in a film is not unheard of in Kollywood. However, there have been instances where a few people got hurt due to certain lyrics in songs. This has happened to decade-old films, those released a few years ago and projects that are awaiting a theatrical release. Check out a few such movies and the songs from them which hit headlines owing to ‘controversial lines’.

Mari Selvaraj’s Dhanush-starrer Karnan, which will hit screens on April 9, was embroiled in a controversy recently when the song Pandarathi Puranam was called out by a community for insulting them. The Madras High Court had sent notice to the producers of Karnan and director Selvaraj for the same. The makers have renamed the song as Manjanathi Puranam and Mari took to his social media to explain why he changed the name. He said, “Pandarathi Puranam was also created by respecting the values of people, but the impact certain names/words create in our society is unimaginable. I have decided to put a full stop to the debates and issues revolving around Pandarathi Puranam.”

This Vijay Antony-starrer, directed by Sasi, was in the news when doctors expressed disappointment in the lyrics ‘Quotavula Seetu Vangi doctor Aaguran, Thappu Thappa Voosi Pottu Saagadikiran’ of Glamour song. When the issue was raised, the makers changed the controversial line ‘Quotavula Seetu Vangi’ to ‘Kasu Kuduthu Seetu Vangi’. Earlier Doctors Association for Social Equality (DASE) had come down heavily on the song and their secretary had requested the state government to initiate stringent action against the lyricist, music director, director and producer of the movie. Vijay later clarified that the team never intended to insult the doctor community.

Kamal Haasan’s films are not new to controversies. Ramesh Arvind’s Uttama Villain, which had the legendary actor-filmmaker donning multiple looks, was no different. The lyrics in a song courted controversy when the religious outfit Viswa Hindu Parishad expressed outrage over the same. They even demanded that the film should be banned as the lyrics offended religious beliefs. The members of the outfit had claimed that the lyrics in the song Iraniyan Nadagam, which was about the conversation between Prahalad and Hiranyakashipu, hurt religious sentiments of people and that it will upset the followers of Lord Vishnu.

The remake of Telugu flick Vedham, Vaanam, was in the news from the time the project was announced. Evan Di Unna Pethan, sung by Simbu and composed by Yuvan Shankar Raja, was a rage among youngsters when it was released as a single from the movie. However, the peppy number courted controversy in no time, thanks to its misogynistic lyrics. A women’s rights organisation came down on the lyrics and criticised Simbu for the song that was demeaning to women. There were mixed reactions from people in the industry.

This KS Ravikumar film which had Ulaganayagan in the lead role landed in a soup when a Hindu outfit demanded the removal of offensive lyrics in the song Kamal Kavithai. The controversy erupted when the release of the film was around the corner, and the makers had to bow down to the pressure. Kamal had then said that had he been the producer of the project, he wouldn’t have heeded to their demand. More than 100 members of the religious outfit had gathered outside his office in Chennai before the makers dropped the lyrics.