Chennai, March 13 – The controversy over the hugely popular chartbuster "Enjoy Enjaami" refusing to die down even after four years, with another strong exchange of words taking place between music director Santhosh Narayanan and rapper Arivu on social media over the credits and royalties for the song.
It all started when a social media user shared the song on platform X and commented that the Tamil Indie album had broken borders, gone global, and ruled the world during the lockdown. Responding to this post, another user alleged that "Dhee and her father literally stole this song from Arivu."
The reply caught the attention of music director Santhosh Narayanan, who responded strongly to the person who had made the allegation against singer Dhee.
Quoting the allegation tweet, Santhosh Narayanan wrote on Friday, "Young man, take a break. There is plenty of useful information available if you look for it. The idea for this song came from Dhee, and it also includes some of her original tunes. The core storyline and concept of the song were developed by director Manikandan, who was working on 'Kadaisi Vivasayi' with me at the time. I composed, produced, and created all the melodies in the song. Arivu wrote almost all the lyrics and also performed. Arivu also adapted some traditional Oppari lines. I only suggested the word 'Enjaami,' which I often use for my songs like Rakitaa and Kanimaa. Thankfully, we live in a digital age, and all claims can and should be proven."
Arivu's response caught the attention of rapper Arivu, who posted a clarification tweet, explaining his version of the sequence of events.
Arivu wrote, "For clarity regarding "Enjoy Enjaami" (released 5 years ago): The beat was sent to me. I wrote the lyrics, composed the main vocal melody, and performed the song based on my own cultural history and lived experience. Music is collaborative. But credit and compensation must also be fair. The song was shot in my village, featuring stories from my land and people. I shared that history, believing it would reach a wide audience. However, I was only credited as a "featured artist," despite writing the full song and composing the main melody."
Arivu further said, "Back then, I didn't understand what that meant. Five years later, the collaborators hold the rights and receive royalties, while I received no payment or ownership for my work. This is not about sympathy. It is about credit, rights, and the dignity of labor. Independent artists: protect your work. Have agreements. Know your rights. – Arivu Valliamma Perandi."
Santhosh Narayanan responded strongly to Arivu's tweet. He wrote, "You can have your own opinions, my friend. Almost all of your technical/ownership/legal claims are dishonest and delusional. Are you open to debating this in any medium/channel of your choice, with all the proof of your claims? As you have blocked me everywhere else, you can reply here, and I will be available anytime."
Arivu responded to Santhosh Narayanan, "My statement on credit, ownership, and compensation is already public. I have tried multiple times to resolve this privately, even visiting your home. These efforts were unsuccessful. This is not a social media debate. Facts speak for themselves. There are appropriate channels."
Santhosh Narayanan then wrote, "Yes, this should never have become a social media talking point until you made it one with brazen lies. Again, a beautiful fabrication of deceit when you say you tried to resolve this. You never responded once during all those trying times when I had to stay silent. Also, you came home once last year to invite me to your wedding (I was abroad, and my staff told me later). This was after you had blocked me and made a song about it. Anba dhan pesuven (I will only talk with love), I promise, let's debate this."
For those unaware, "Enjoy Enjaami," one of the most popular Tamil chartbusters that captured the imagination of the youth, was a phenomenal success. The song received a staggering 521 million views on YouTube, with over 5.1 million people giving it a thumbs up.
The controversy first erupted in 2022 when music director Santhosh Narayanan was given credit for composing the song at the inaugural function of the chess olympiad in Chennai, where singers Dhee and Kidakuzhi Mariyammal performed the song. However, Arivu was not mentioned.