Jnanpith Award: Vairamuthu faces backlash; writer Jeyamohan calls him 'ridiculous film lyricist'

Chennai: The recent decision to confer the prestigious literary honour, Jnanpith Award, upon lyricist Vairamuthu has triggered a significant wave of condemnation from the top echelons of the Tamil intelligentsia, signalling an evolving cultural resistance against the veteran lyricist.

Leading the charge is Jeyamohan, one of the most influential figures in contemporary Indian literature, who called him a "ridiculous film lyricist".

In a formal communication to the Jnanpith Committee, Jeyamohan expressed deep disdain for the recognition and pointedly dismissed the lyricist's literary credentials, asserting that the survival of a culture depends on its moral clarity and that technical proficiency in film songs does not equate to a contribution to the serious literary canon.

In his letter to the committee, Jeyamohan was unequivocal in his assessment of the awardee's standing in the creative world.

He stated: "Mr Vairamuthu is neither a poet nor a writer; he is merely a ridiculous Tamil film lyricist. He plays no part at all in contemporary Tamil literature. I hereby express my deep disdain."

This sharp critique serves to decouple Vairamuthu's commercial success in the film industry from the high-art standards expected of a literary icon.

The backlash is also rooted in the 2018 #MeToo movement in India, during which seventeen women, including high-profile singer Chinmayi Sripaada, accused Vairamuthu of "sexual harassment and misconduct".

Jeyamohan emphasised that honouring individuals who face credible accusations of misconduct, while lacking genuine literary merit, undermines the very community that such awards claim to celebrate, effectively terming the recognition a "stain" on the collective dignity of Tamil letters.

This sentiment was echoed across various literary platforms, indicating a rare consensus among otherwise disparate intellectual circles. Akazh magazine, a prominent voice for contemporary Tamil discourse, published a scathing editorial questioning the institutional mechanisms that allow such honours to bypass ethical scrutiny.

The magazine asserted that the silence of award committees in the face of public outcry reflects a deep-seated systemic apathy toward the safety and dignity of women in the creative arts. By providing a platform for this dissent, the publication underscored that the issue is no longer a private dispute but a public concern regarding the values that the Tamil literary world chooses to project to the global stage.

Postmodernist writer Charu Nivedita also joined the fray, offering a characteristically blunt assessment of the controversy. Known for his transgressive and often provocative views, Nivedita's condemnation added a different dimension to the critique, focusing on the power structures within the Tamil film and literary industries.

He suggested that the continued patronage of the lyricist by political and cultural elites is a symptom of a broader malaise that prioritises proximity to power over ethical consistency.

"In our society, there is a strange logic that even if a man is accused of sexual harassment by 17 women, he can still be hailed as a Kavignar or great poet as long as he has political clout. This is not an award for literature; it's a victory march for predator," wrote Nivedita, in his website.

Nivedita's intervention is seen as particularly significant because it bridges the gap between high literature and pop culture.

In a series of social media posts reacting to the current honours, playback singer Chinmayi Sripaada questioned how a man named by multiple women across different age groups as a molester could continue to be celebrated by the state and literary bodies.

She also criticised the silence and support of industry veterans, including Kamal Haasan and Pawan Kalyan, stating that the elevation of such individuals serves to silence victims and reinforces a culture of impunity.

It is to be noted that #MeToo allegations and intense public pressure previously led to Vairamuthu declining the ONV Literary Prize in 2021.