Again invisibilised: Arivu on exclusion from Olympiad ceremony

CHENNAI: ‘Enjoy Enjaami’ a global hit, has been entertaining and educating audiences around the world even today. The song was considered as a strong voice that spoke for the oppressed community.

While Arivu had contributed equally to the song, he was excluded from being mentioned at the inaugural ceremony of the 44th Chess Olympiad, which was held on July 28.

Sharing a still of himself from the song, Arivu, on Monday, clarified that it was he who wrote, composed and performed the song.

“I Composed ,Wrote ,sung & Performed Enjoy Enjaami. Nobody gave me a Tune, Melody or a Single word to write this one. Spent almost 6 months of sleepless and stressful nights and days for everything it is right now. No doubt it’s a great team work. No doubt it calls everyone together . But it doesn’t mean that’s not the history of Valliammal or the landless Tea plantation slave ancestors of mine . Every song of mine will be having the scarmark of this generational oppression. Like this Just One.. There are 10,000 songs of folk in this land. The Songs that carry the breath of ancestors ,Their pain ,Their Life, Love, Their Resistance and all about their existence. It’s all speaking to you in beautiful songs. Because we are a generation of blood and sweat turned into melodies of liberating arts. We carry the legacy through songs,” he said.

At the inaugural ceremony singers Dhee and Kidakuzhi Mariyammal performed the song, and Santosh Narayanan was credited as the music composer.

Many people on social media have voiced their dismay that Arivu was not given credit for the event or even mentioned.

“Anyone can snatch away your treasure when You’re alseep. Never when you are awake. Jaibhim. Truth will always win in the end.#enjoyenjaami #appropriationart,” Arivu wrote.

Earlier, issues were raised when the India edition of Rolling Stone published their August issue cover with photos of Dhee and Shan Vincent de Paul but failed to give space to Arivu, who penned the lyrics.

Enjoy Enjaami , sung and performed by Arivu and Dhee, premiered this March and became a sensational hit. It has over 320 million views (and counting) on YouTube.