Director Pa Ranjith Slams Rolling Stone India For 'Invisibilizing' Singer Arivu In August Cover

However, Arivu, who is the lyricist for “Enjoy Enjaami” and co-lyricist of “Neeya Oli” with Shan, was not given a space on the cover and the writers just mentioned Arivu in a quote in the article. 

Pa Ranjith

Tamil Director Pa Ranjith called out at Rolling Stone's India edition of the magazine and music platform-Majja backed by AR Rahman for invisibilizing lyricist, rapper and singer Arivu's contribution to the two songs "Enjoy Enjaami'' and "Neeya Oli" on its cover page. The August cover of the magazine was released with an interview and cover image of singers Dhee of “Enjoy Enjaami” and Shan Vincent de Paul of “Neeye Oli”. However, Arivu, who is the lyricist for “Enjoy Enjaami” and co-lyricist of “Neeya Oli” with Shan, was not given a space on the cover and the writers just mentioned Arivu in a quote in the article. 

Following this, taking to social media, Director Pa Ranjith said, "@TherukuralArivu, the lyricist of #Neeyaoli and singer as well as lyricist of #enjoyenjami has once again been invisibilized.  

@RollingStoneIN and @joinmaajja is it so difficult to understand that the lyrics of both songs challenges this erasure of public acknowledgement?"

There were also several backlashes from the public for not including Arivu on the cover image. A Twitter user Hara said, "It should have been Arivu instead of Dhee. Or atleast him too. This is why the UCs appropriating the struggles and triumphs of DBA community should be called out. What is this blanket South Asian card that these people are playing by invalidating the actual person behind it?"

It should have been Arivu instead of Dhee. Or atleast him too. This is why the UCs appropriating the struggles and triumphs of DBA community should be called out. What is this blanket South Asian card that these people are playing by invalidating the actual person behind it? https://t.co/c494sB3cX7

— 球子 Hara✨ (@Mystic_riverrr) August 21, 2021

Another Twitter user, Sridhar said, "How Arivu disappeared from these places? The song's soul belongs to Arivu and the people who grabbed his grandpa's land also robbed the song from him. There is no shame left." The song Enjoy Enjaami talks about the history of Arivu’s grandmother Valliammal who worked as a tea estate labourer and was denied the right over the land. Also, even previously Arivu was not given credit for the remix of the song produced by French Producer DJ Snake and which featured Dhee. 

How arivu disappeared from these places? The song's soul belongs to arivu and the people grabbed his grandpa's land also robbed the song from him. There is no shame left. பரம்பரபுத்தி! https://t.co/wp5cwKBWr9

— Sridhar (@i_maayan) August 21, 2021

After the backlash, Rolling Stone India said that the feature mentions AR Rahman, Therukural Arivu, Canadian hip-hop artist Navz-47 and music composer Santhosh Narayanan in the cover story.

(1) @arrahman-backed label and platform @joinmaajja stands apart for its refreshing South Asian-focused approach.

(2) Firebrand Tamil rapper, lyricist and composer @TherukuralArivu who packed a punch in tracks like "Enjoy Enjaami" and "Neeye Oli" pic.twitter.com/1Aqd3JObJi

— Rolling Stone India (@RollingStoneIN) August 22, 2021