A professional dispute between singer Chinmayi and director Mohan G has escalated, resulting in the singer's voice being removed from the upcoming film Draupathi 2. The conflict originated from a social media post made by Chinmayi in December 2025.
The Tweet That Started the Controversy
In her post on the platform X (formerly Twitter), Chinmayi expressed regret for having sung the song 'Emkoney' for Mohan G's film. She stated clearly that had she been aware of the director's personal ideology at the time, she would not have agreed to the collaboration. The tweet, which remains live on her profile, did not specify the nature of the ideological differences.
Director Mohan G responded by demanding a clarification from the singer, asking her to either explain her stance or delete the post. "I still don't know why she posted it. There has been no explanation from her side, and she hasn't deleted the tweet either," Mohan G stated in an interview.
Official Complaints and Union Action
With Chinmayi choosing not to retract her statement, the filmmaker took formal action. He filed an official complaint with the Director's Union, while the film's producer lodged a separate complaint with the Producer's Council.
"Both complaints have been forwarded to the Film Employees Federation of South India (FEFSI) and the Cine Musicians' Union. They spoke to Chinmayi from their end," Mohan G revealed. The complaint reportedly includes a request that if Chinmayi does not provide an explanation, no music director should engage her for future projects.
However, the director insists his goal is not to tarnish the singer's reputation. "Nowhere did I say that she should say sorry. She should either delete the tweet if it was unintentional or provide an explanation for what she said," he clarified. He left the door open for reconciliation, adding, "Even now, all I'm saying is that if Chinmayi shares an explanation tomorrow or even if she says that she regrets what happened, I'll retain her voice. It's all in her hands, not mine."
Financial Impact and Public Pressure
Mohan G claims the singer's public expression of regret has negatively impacted the movie. He emphasized that Chinmayi was fully aware of the project she was working for, as the film's name was explicitly mentioned on the invoice when she received her payment.
"You got the remuneration from us, sang the song, and then, if you defame our film the day the song is released, we can't just sit back and watch that happen," the director argued. He expressed confusion over the apology, stating the team deserves to know the reason behind it.
The final decision to re-record the song came after what the director describes as public demand. "We waited a long time for her to delete the tweet, but she is very adamant. So, we moved to the next level. I got so many requests to remove her voice. So, I'm responding to people's requests," Mohan G explained. He confirmed that a new recording with a different singer is scheduled to be completed within the same week.
The situation highlights the growing intersection of professional contracts, personal expression, and public perception within the Indian film industry. The outcome of the union complaints and the public reception of the re-recorded song remain to be seen.
