Independent music label Maajja’s last year’s release Enjoy Enjaami was aimed at bringing people together through music, and celebrating the ancestors who strived to propagate life. It is also a personal tribute from singer-songwriter Arivu to his grandmother Valliyamma, who is a descendant of the labourers forcibly taken to Sri Lanka to work on the tea plantations.
It didn’t take much time for the track to rise to the top, garnering millions of views on YouTube within days of its release. Now, more than a year after its release, the song continues to be one of the top Indie Tamil songs ever released. However, is also at the centre of a controversy involving singer-songwriter Arivu, music producer Santhosh Narayanan, and singer Dhee.
Post its release, the music video of Enjoy Enjaami drew criticism from some quarters for Arivu’s costumes — which some felt were appropriation of African culture — and for how Dhee took the centre-stage in the visuals, sidelining Arivu. The issue grew bigger when Arivu was excluded from the cover of DJ Snake’s remix version and from the cover of Rolling Stone India’s August 2021 cover. The Rolling Stone cover, which featured Dhee and Neeye Oli singer Shan Vincent de Paul, drew flak from all over, with even Tamil film director Pa. Ranjith voicing out his support for Arivu. The magazine later released a new digital cover on the cover of their issue, featuring Arivu.
However, the people involved in the controversy, except Shan Vincent, have stayed silent over the controversy, until yesterday.
Enjoy Enjaami was recently performed by Dhee and Kidakuzhi Mariyammal at the opening ceremony of the 44th Chess Olympiad in Chennai. Santhosh Narayanan was credited as the composer, and Arivu, who is currently touring in the US, was credited as singer along with Dhee. Arivu came out with a statement on social media stating that he “composed, written, sung and performed” Enjoy Enjaami.
“I Composed ,Written ,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 teamwork. 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 10000 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. Anyone can snatch away your treasure when You’re alseep. Never when you are awake. Jaibhim. Truth will always win in the end (sic),” he wrote.
Soon after Arivu’s post, composer Santosh reacted to the same with a statement detailing the creative process behind the song. Santosh claimed that it was he who composed the tune of the song and that the entire creative process was done under 30 hours, contrary to Arivu’s statement that the song took six months.
“In December 2020, Dhee came up with the idea of creating a Tamil song which glorified our roots and celebrated nature. I then composed, arranged, programmed, recorded and co-sang “Enjoy Enjaami”. The above said work of mine is often referred to as “Producer” globally as many already know in the independent space. Dhee, Arivu and myself came together with a lot of love for each other and for the love of independent art. We decided to not have any artist just perform(sing) on Enjoy Enjaami and agreed that each one would either co-compose tunes or write verses in the song. While Dhee and Arivu agreed to sing the song, Both Dhee and Arivu were involved in the creative process. Dhee co-composed the tunes of many of her lines, while Arivu agreed to write the lyrics. I composed the rest of the tune and also composed the tune of Arivu’s portions (sic),” wrote Santhosh.
Later in the evening, Dhee too reacted to Arivu’s statement and said that she has always credited Arivu as writer/singer and Santhosh Narayanan as composer/producer of the track.
“I only wanted Arivu’s voice to be heard the loudest. As I believe what he has to say is important and it deserves front and centre. All revenues and ownership of our song are shared equally amongst the three of us. I’ve only ever to wanted to experience every milestone surrounding enjoy enjaami with Arivu and Santhosh Narayanan and if or when an opportunity feels ill-intended, unjust, or condones any form of inequality, I will not be a part of it. (sic),” read Dhee’s statement.
“I’m ready and I have always been ready to sit down and have a conversation about this with all parties involved either publicly or privately, with or without media with an unbiased mediator,” she added.
Over the last few years, there have been several developments in the controversy from Santhosh and Arivu’s fronts. On the third anniversary of the release of the song, Santhosh said that those involved have not made any revenue. He said that the music label Maajja, which made the song, approached them, promising 100 per cent of the rights, revenues and royalties from the song, but the three artists involved (him along with Dhee and Arivu) have not made any revenue.
The composer clarified that veteran composer AR Rahman, who co-founded Maajja, has been “a pillar of support without any expectations through the entire Maajja fiasco,” and that the Oscar-winner is “also a victim of false promises and malice.”
Shortly later, Noel Kirthiraj, the CEO of Maajja, responded to the allegations, stating that the label vehemently refutes the “false and damaging allegations aimed at tarnishing reputation” and that the label stands by its commitment to indie artists and indie music. “There was never a question of our not fulfilling our commitments or keeping any revenue away from artists. However, contrary to what we were led to believe, there is no consensus around the contribution to the song among the artists involved. Additionally, per contractual obligations of the artists, we haven’t received any disclosure or statements outlining direct engagements and revenues collected, despite our repeated requests, further complicating the resolution process,” read the statement.
“Nevertheless, it’s worth noting two of the artists involved have received advances, in addition to maajja incurring significant expenses on their behalf. We recognise the importance of swiftly and fairly resolving this issue for all parties involved. Given the recent slanderous allegations, we will be addressing them through the appropriate channels,” the statement read.
This will be a fight that will see an end, and it’s currently in a legal system. I’m bent on making sure the three artistes involved — Arivu, Dhee and I — are compensated, in what will be a massive victory for indie music,” Santhosh told The Hindu in July 2024 in an interview about his film Kalki 2898 AD.
The same month, Arivu released his indie album, Valiyamma Peraandi, titled after his popular line in ‘Enjoy Enjaami’. In fact, netizens had speculated that the track from the album, ‘Block Panniten,’ was a dig at Santhosh Narayanan. While speaking to The Hindu about the album, the musician said that he has been plagued by lessons on understanding human nature in the wake of the controversy. “People are not the words they speak but the actions they do. I always knew that there was inequality among humans but I gathered first-hand evidence of it after the song was released. Despite having been educated, it didn’t help me. I didn’t get the tools at a young age to handle and fight such problems,” he added.
Later, on March 13, 2026, on the fifth anniversary of the film, Arivu and Santhosh once again feuded on X. “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, with stories from my land and my people. I shared that history believing it would reach the masses. But I was placed only as a “featuring artist” — despite writing the full song and composing the main melody,” said Arivu, adding that the collaborators Dhee and Santhosh hold the rights and receive royalties while he hasn’t received any payment and ownership for the work.
Santhosh hit back, stating that Arivu’s claims are “dishonest and delusional” and that he is open to debating the same in any channel of Arivu’s choice.
Arivu then responded, stating that he tried multiple times to resolve this privately, even visiting Santhosh’s home, and that the efforts went nowhere. “This isn’t a social media debate. Facts speak for themselves. Appropriate channels exist,” he added.
Santhosh said that Arivu’s claim that he attempted to resolve the issue was “a beautiful fabrication of deceit.”
