"Who cares if multiple women were traumatised?"; Chinmayi’s scathing retort to Vairamuthu’s Jnanpith honour; lays into Kamal Haasan over praise post

CHENNAI: Singer Chinmayi Sripada has voiced a scathing critique following reports of poet-lyricist Vairamuthu being considered for the Jnanpith Award. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), she noted: "In 2018, multiple women of different age groups named one Poet-Lyricist as their molester. Today, the Jnanpith is awarded to the man."

Chinmayi also expressed her disappointment by retweeting Kamal Haasan’s congratulatory post. She remarked on the silence of powerful men in the industry and politics: "Men in such power... turning a deaf ear to women who go on record to say they were molested by 'his uncle-mentor' must remind women voters—men will never be on our side. End of the day, men WILL stand by their bros, uncles, dads, and mentors. Who cares if multiple women were traumatised?"

The singer first leveled Me Too allegations against Vairamuthu in 2018. In 2020, she shared a seventeenth account on behalf of a television professional who chose to remain anonymous. Despite these numerous public testimonies, no formal action has been taken against the lyricist.

While the Jnanpith Award is India’s highest literary honor—consisting of ₹11 lakh, a statue of Goddess Saraswati, and a plaque—its potential conferment upon Vairamuthu remains a flashpoint for controversy. Vairamuthu has previously been honored with the Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri for his contributions to Tamil literature and cinema.