Kaushiki Chakraborty issues legal notice over alleged plagiarism in Tamil track Vaanmathi

Kaushiki Chakraborty has served a legal notice on singer Chinmayi Sripaada and Singapore‑based composer‑producer Shabir Sulthan, accusing them of copying verses from her 2015 Darbar Festival performance in their Tamil track Vaanmathi. Chakraborty claims the duo used her vocal lines without permission, credit or any royalty payment. In an Instagram video she said attempts to settle the matter informally failed, forcing her to seek legal recourse. She also announced that the song was removed from Shabir’s social media accounts at her request. Her post emphasized that the fight is meant to protect the rights of musicians and traditional music from unauthorized use. Chinmayi responded on Instagram Stories, confirming receipt of the notice and stating she learned of the allegation through Chakraborty’s reel. She said she recorded her parts for Vaanmathi without knowledge of any plagiarised sections and that she has known Shabir Sulthan for a long time. Chinmayi added that Shabir has pledged to address the issue with Chakraborty’s legal team respectfully. She affirmed that copying another’s work would breach her musical integrity. Shabir has not issued a public comment. The article was prepared by Neeshita Nyayapati, a journalist with a master’s degree in journalism and former sub‑editor at The Times of India and Reader's Digest.

Context

Plagiarism disputes like this highlight the need for clear licensing when sampling traditional performances, and social media often becomes the first arena where artists raise such concerns.