Vairamuthu returns ONV award after academy says it is reconsidering decision

Lyricist-poet Vairamuthu announced yesterday that he would be returning the ONV award and suggested that the prize money of Rs2 lakh be donated to the Kerala Chief Minister's Public Relief Fund.

The lyricist's decision came a day after the ONV Cultural Academy said it would reconsider its decision to confer the award on him after many questioned how a man accused of sexual harassment by so many women could be honoured thus.

The award, instituted in memory of the poet ONV Kurup, is conferred on poets in Malayalam and other Indian languages. This was the first time a non-Malayali was chosen for the award.

In a video shared on Twitter, Vairamuthu said: “I have come to learn that the ONV award conferred upon me is being reconsidered after the interference of a few people who hold grudges against me. This will insult me and poet ONV Kurup. Since the jury will be pushed into a sticky situation, I’ve decided to return my award.”

Interestingly, Vairamuthu has decided to return the award even before receiving it. He also said that the prize money of Rs2 lakh that comes with the award should be donated to the Kerala chief minister’s fund.

The announcement of the award had resulted in a severe backlash because Vairamuthu has been accused by as many as 17 women of sexual harassment. In 2018, at the height of the #MeToo movement in India, singer and dubbing artiste Chinmayi Sripaada had named him as someone who preyed on women colleagues. After she spoke up, 16 other women had called out the veteran lyricist.

On Thursday, actress Parvathy slammed the jury headed by veteran filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan for its decision to honour Vairamuthu with the prestigious award and characterized it as disrespect to Kurup.

“Vairamuthu was considered by the jury for his excellent writing," Adoor told the Malayalam web portal The Cue in his defence. "I do not know if the jury knows he is facing such charges. My personal opinion is that awards should not be decided on the basis of character. As chairman of the Cultural Society, I do not interfere in the decisions of the jury.”