Lyricist Vairamuthu criticises Tamil filmmakers for using his verses as film titles without permission-OxBig News Network

Tamil lyricist and poet Vairamuthu
| Photo Credit: BALACHANDAR L

Popular Tamil lyricist and writer Vairamuthu on Monday (June 9) criticised Tamil filmmakers for using verses from his songs as titles of their films without seeking permission from him.

Taking to his official X handle, the lyricist claimed that those filmmakers neither sought permission nor informed him about the same. “It’s not just one or two. ‘Ponmaalai Pozhudhu,’ ‘Kann Sivanthaal Mann Sivakkum,’ ‘Ilaya Nila,’ ‘Oorai Therinjikitten,’ ‘Panivizhum Malarvanam,’ ‘Vellaipura Ondru,’ ‘Poove Poochooda Vaa,’ ‘Eeramana Rojave,’ ‘Antha Nilava Thaan Kaiyila Pidichen,’ ‘Mouna Raagam,’ ‘Minsara Kanna’, ‘Kannalane,’ ‘Ennavale,’ ‘Uyire,’ ‘Sandakozhi’, ‘Poovellam Kettuppar,’ ‘Thenmerku Paruvakaatru,’ ‘Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa,’ ‘Neethaane En Ponvasantham,’ ‘Kannum Kannum Kollaiyadithaal,’ ‘Thangamagan’…the list goes on.”

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The lyricist added that even at times when he came across the said filmmakers, he neither scolded them nor questioned them for doing so. “Because it gave me joy that in a society where wealth isn’t a common property, at least knowledge is becoming common,” he added.

“To ask, ‘Why didn’t you ask me before doing this?’ would not be civilised of me. But then, would it not be uncivilised of them to not ask me even a single word before doing it?” wrote Vairamuthu.

The tweet drew quite a few reactions from the netizens, one of whom wondered if this was a fair ask from the lyricist. “If you look at it that way, no one can use anything. The words in your lyrics may have appeared in a book, a novel, a short story, or even a poem before. So what if those writers claim ownership of the said verses? You can state this if an entire song was misused,” read the post.