Art & activism cannot and shouldn’t be separated: Chinmayi Sripada

Chinmayi Sripada’s voice has defined the soundscape of South Indian cinema — whether through songs like Priyathama, Yenti Yenti, Unnatundi Gundey, Titli, Tere Bina, and Zehnaseeb, or as the dubbing artiste behind some of the most memorable female leads in Tamil and Telugu films.

And yet, she often encounters fans who are stunned to learn she sang their childhood favourite or a hit they’ve cherished for years. “My career is filled with people saying, ‘Wait, you sang that?’” she says, laughing. In town recently for a special performance, Chinmayi spoke to us about moments like these — including the viral rediscovery of her Ben 10 title track — and also opened up about online hate, lost work, and why she refuses to stay silent in the face of injustice.‘It’s always a moment When people finally connect my voice to the song’Despite delivering chart-toppers like Mayya Mayya, and more, Chinmayi’s voice has often outpaced her name recognition. “When someone says, ‘I really love your song,’ that moment of being seen as an artiste — that’s enough,” she says. She recalls the viral resurgence of a lesser-known credit — the title track of Ben 10, a popular animated series. “Someone tweeted asking if I’d sung it, and I casually said yes.

People were stunned — they had no idea! So many wrote saying it was a part of their childhood.

It’s heartwarming to know something you did years ago can still spark that kind of nostalgia.”

‘Art has always been the voice that speaks truth to power’For Chinmayi, music is more than melody. “Art has always been the voice that speaks truth to power,” she insists, drawing parallels with the work of Black musicians, Tamil filmmakers like Pa Ranjith, and historical poets who challenged regimes.“Poetry, in particular, has historically challenged authority — not always popular, but always powerful. The artistes have always been a threat to the government, historically speaking. So if they wanted to clamp down first, they will first go after the artistes and the poets. Art can also be activism. In Tamil cinema, directors like Pa Ranjith are using their craft to confront caste. There are some people who would rather not speak about what they’re thinking and rather have their art speak for them.

So no, I don’t think art can be completely separated from activism — even if it isn’t overt. And similarly, I don’t think we can fully separate art from the artist. Because that art gives the artist not just fame but access to money and power.” Chinmayi also laments how modern pressures — like tailoring music for Instagram virality — stifle artistic expression. “So many talented composers can’t realise their full potential because they’re stuck making ‘hooks.’

That’s not real creativity. That’s catering to an algorithm.”

‘The mental harassment, the abuse, the courtroom trauma — none of it can be undone’Known for her outspokenness, Chinmayi has been one of the most prominent voices in the second wave of India’s #MeToo movement. In 2018, she named lyricist Vairamuthu as a sexual harasser and supported women who accused South Indian Cine, Television Artistes and Dubbing Artistes Union president Radha Ravi of misconduct.

Soon after, she was removed from the union. Though she later secured an interim stay on the ban, she says the ban still stands — especially in Tamil cinema.Pointing to the wider culture of silence that enabled it, she says, “When women began speaking up, everyone forgot about the Hema Committee report — especially the redacted pages. No one talks about it now. In Malayalam cinema, women turned the tide. But when male stars were questioned, most stayed silent, calling it an ‘insult to Malayalam cinema.’

It was never about the art — it was about the silence around abuse. Tamil cinema was no different.

I was cast out, and those in positions of power continued unchecked — while the industry looked the other way. That silence speaks volumes.”The singer sees her case as a stark example of how far a system can go to silence dissent. “Years from now, I’ll still say Tamil Nadu remains the only place where an actual work ban was imposed on someone.

Others have faced shadow bans or lost work — but a formal, coordinated ban? That’s rare. This isn’t about who suffered more. It’s about how a system was weaponised to ensure I didn’t get work. The mental harassment I faced, the abuse, the courtroom trauma — none of that can be undone.

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Hyderabad has been a primary home for me and my husband Rahul for over a decade. I love its year-round weather and vibrant energy. Creativity isn’t bound by location, but Hyderabad is truly a wonderful place to live in and nurture it– Divya Shree