Huge deal that Leo makers took a stance: Chinmayi on dubbing comeback post #MeToo

Almost five years since she was expelled from the Tamil dubbing artistes union, Chinmayi is making a comeback as a voice artist with the biggest Tamil film of the year – Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Leo, which is set to release on October 19. (Photo via X/@Chinmayi)

In November 2018, singer Chinmayi was expelled from the South Indian Cine, Television Artistes and Dubbing Artistes Union after she shared allegations of sexual harassment made against its president Radha Ravi. An award-winning singer, Chinmayi at the time was also a popular dubbing artist and had just gotten rave reviews for her work in the romance film 96 (2018) as the voice of its heroine Trisha. She should have been flooded with offers after this, but instead, Chinmayi was blacklisted in the Tamil film industry. Song opportunities, too, dried up because she also raised her voice against Tamil lyricist Vairamuthu, who she alleged was a serial sexual harasser.

Following her expulsion, Chinmayi filed a civil suit against the dubbing union for firing her without prior notice. A civil court granted an interim stay on the ban, and this is still in effect. However, after 96, Chinmayi dubbed for only one Tamil film – PS Mithran’s Hero (2019).

Now, almost five years since she was expelled from the union, Chinmayi is making a comeback as a voice artist with the biggest Tamil film of the year – Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Leo which is set to release on October 19. Once again, she has dubbed for Trisha, who is playing the female lead opposite Vijay.

In an interview, Chinmayi spoke about the price she had to pay for speaking up against sexual harassment, the response from the industry and her work in Leo. Excerpts below:

You were expelled from the dubbing union in 2018 and you’re making a comeback with a huge film like Leo. How do you feel?

The case I filed against the union for expelling me without prior notice is still ongoing. It has just come to trial after five years. I dubbed for Mithran’s Hero after the expulsion, but after that, Radha Ravi and his PROs became really active in preventing me from dubbing. They would make sure that they were informed if I entered a dubbing studio. They would tell people that if I dubbed for the film, other dubbing artists wouldn’t work for the project.

The few films that I dubbed for were other language projects. When I was called to dub for Leo, I did ask if they were aware of all these issues. They said it wouldn’t be a problem and that I should just do it. I dubbed through the night at the studio for Leo. If any corrections had to be done, I would change it from somewhere else and send it.

Who was so keen to bring you on board for Leo?

It looks like it was the director, and a couple of others associated with the film. I did ask the PRO if they knew all the controversies that this would generate and if they were willing to deal with Radha Ravi. But he said all that didn’t matter. I think it was Lokesh’s call to get me to dub. Once the director decides this is the voice or person they want, others generally agree. Here, the producer also went with the call despite all the issues in getting me to dub.

I’m saying this because after 96, I sang a Tamil song in another Trisha film and the film crew had to face a lot of heat for giving me the opportunity. A friend of mine was witness to a discussion at a studio where people were saying they should avoid getting me to dub for the film because it would lead to problems. Radha Ravi would personally call people and tell them not to hire me. After Ponniyin Selvan (2022), I think he relaxed because he thought Krithika Nelson had taken over the dubbing for Trisha. I don’t think he expected this to happen.

You've consistently spoken up against Vairamuthu but received very little support from industry people. Publicly, very few have stood by you, barring someone like Samantha. Do you think Leo marks a turn-around in that sense?

Samantha is a big star, but her presence is so much more in Telugu. Here, even those who claim they’re feminists in the industry, didn’t speak up. Right now, there is a controversy going on about comments made against actor-politician Roja. There are women from the film industry – people who have political connections – who are putting out videos condemning this. But when I spoke up, there was radio silence.

It is a huge deal that I was called to dub for Leo. It has been very defeating to be constantly insulted by the lawyer in court, where they make arguments along the lines of how I’m characterless. I’ve gone through the entire grind, with one delay after another in the court procedure. It has also been defeating for other women to see this.

After I tweeted about dubbing for Leo, there was an outpouring of love and support. The most repeated line I saw was that it feels like a personal win. This is a huge statement – for somebody in the industry to take a stance and say that it doesn’t matter. I know that after this, Radha Ravi will double down on preventing me from getting more work. But that’s okay. I have missed singing in so many Tamil films. I would have sung maybe five songs in Tamil movies since 2018.

People often say that women make allegations for publicity. But there are very real repercussions to making these allegations. Can you tell us how these years have been for you?

Career-wise, it has been horrible. I have also received thousands of abusive messages across social media platforms. A woman actor-politician even asked in a TV interview why I didn’t talk about Vairamuthu right when the incident happened, and how he’s a man of such great stature. She said he was a decent gentleman as far as she was concerned. But we all know men who are decent to us but have molested other women.

It should have been onwards and upwards after a huge hit like 96. Usually, if a song becomes a huge hit, you will get 10-20 songs. I should have been besieged with offers but my life became about the police station, court and abuse.

This must have impacted your livelihood quite a bit. Can you tell us how you coped?

I started doing other things. I run a skincare business and a dermatological service. I figured out a way to feed myself. If I went to a bank and asked for a loan, they would ask me what happened to all the controversies. They don’t see it as a movement – the #MeToo movement. I have to give speeches everywhere. When women speak about sexual harassment, what is the publicity we get? We’re told you slept with someone for opportunities and now you’re complaining because it’s not convenient for you. Is that the publicity anybody would want?

From the outside, it doesn't look like much has changed in the industry. But as an insider, do you think people have now become more sensitive or at least wary?

I don’t think so. I still hear stories about these men behaving inappropriately. A couple of weeks ago, I received a message from a woman who wanted me to share a story anonymously about a singer-composer. But I told her I’m done with that. I told her to share it herself and that I would amplify the tweet if needed. These men are very emboldened. They’re very sure that nothing will happen to them.

You are constantly speaking up about harassment through your social media handles. Doesn't that get to you?

What I feel most is hopelessness. When I hear stories about children and teenagers being abused or adults speaking about the abuse they experienced as children… I don’t know, I feel like we’re unable to change anything. We’re not able to throw these perpetrators in jail even for a day. Instead, it is the survivors who are subjected to harassment.

Your voice was the soul of 96, the last time you dubbed for Trisha. Samantha is another popular actor for whom you dub. How do you make sure you sound distinct?

It’s completely based on how the director thinks the character should sound. For Trisha, I sounded different in Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa (2010) and 96 (2018). It is about internalizing the character and how she’s supposed to sound rather than how the actor should sound.

To end the interview on a happy note, what can you tell us about Leo from what you have seen of the film?

(Laughs) I don’t think I’m allowed to share anything about it. But I can tell you that it’s fantastic!