'Enjoy Enjaami' row: Santhosh Narayanan hits back after Arivu issues fresh clarification on social media

A fresh debate has emerged around the popular independent song 'Enjoy Enjaami' after singer and lyricist Arivu shared a new clarification about the song’s credits and royalties. The song was composed by Santhosh Narayanan, featuring Arivu and singer Dhee, and was released in 2021 and it was praised for its folk flavor and wonderful lyrics. It became the most favourite Indie Tamil song in recent years.Credits and attributions are still a problem even after the song's popularity. Since Arivu tweeted recently, five years after the song was launched on the legal grounds of not receiving the music royalties earned plus certificates, this turned out to be a trending heated discussion with mixed reactions from people. In the past, filmmaker Pa. Ranjith and several others had spoken in support of Arivu, while others expressed support for Santhosh Narayanan. In his new clarification, Arivu explained how the song was created from his perspective. He wrote that the music beat was first sent to him, after which he wrote the lyrics, created the main vocal melody, and performed the song. According to him, the lyrics were inspired by his own cultural background, personal history, and the stories of the people from his village. He said that although he played a major role in creating the song, he was credited only as a “featuring artist” when the track was released. Arivu added that he has not received royalties or ownership rights for the song even after five years. He also said that his intention in speaking about the issue was not to gain sympathy but to highlight the importance of fair recognition for artists.Santhosh Narayanan responded to Arivu’s statement on social media and strongly disagreed with his claims. The composer said Arivu is free to have his own opinions, but described many of the technical, ownership, and legal claims as incorrect. Santhosh Narayanan challenged him to a public debate on any forum, anywhere, with evidence for their claims that went immediately viral online, sparking a whole new debate among fans and observers regarding the true inventor of the most famous song.