Chennai: The makers of director Mohan G Kshatriyan’s upcoming historical film Draupathi 2 have announced that the song ‘Emkoney’, originally sung by playback singer Chinmayi, will not feature in the theatrical version of the film. Instead, the number has been re-recorded with an alternative singer.
Addressing the media, director Mohan G Kshatriyan and producer Chola Shakkaravarthi confirmed that a new voice has been finalised for the song. “The version sung by Chinmayi will not be used in the film. The song will appear in another singer’s voice,” the producer said.
The clarification comes in the wake of Chinmayi’s recent social media post, in which she apologised for having sung ‘Emkoney’ after learning about the song’s context. In her statement, the singer said she had recorded the track without being informed of its ideological background and would not have collaborated had she known earlier, stating that the film’s ideologies were in complete contradiction to her own.
Reacting to the controversy, director Mohan G Kshatriyan said complaints had been filed with the directors’ union and the producers’ council, alleging that the film had been publicly defamed without cause. “The matter has been taken to FEFSI. Since the process will take time, we have chosen an alternate voice for the song,” he said.
Despite the controversy, Draupathi 2 continues to generate strong buzz among audiences and film enthusiasts. Mohan G Kshatriyan said the screenplay was inspired by a historical text titled Moondram Vallalla Maharaja, written by historian Annal Kandar. He added that while the film is rooted in historical facts, cinematic liberties were taken in character development. “It took nearly a year to complete the script, as extensive research was required. The third Veera Vallalalar ruled with Thiruvannamalai as his capital,” he noted.
The makers recently unveiled a poster featuring actor Chirag Jani as Delhi Sultanate ruler Mohammad Bin Tughlaq, which drew widespread attention online. Sharing the poster on X, the director described the character as the film’s first-level antagonist, calling it a “terrifying” portrayal.
Mounted as a grand multilingual period drama set in 14th-century South India, Draupathi 2 has completed post-production and received a ‘U/A’ certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). Sources close to the production say the film will feature three powerful villains, with Chirag Jani playing a key antagonistic role.
The film stars Richard Rishi in the lead role, with Rakshana Indusudan as the female lead and Natti Natraj in a pivotal role. The ensemble cast includes Y G Mahendran, Nadodigal Barani, Saravana Subbiah, Vel Ramamoorthy, Siraj Johnny, Dinesh Lamba, Ganesh Gaurang, Divi, Devayani Sharma, and Arunodayan.
Draupathi 2 is produced by Chola Shakkaravarthi under Netaji Productions in association with G.M. Film Corporation. The film’s technical crew includes cinematographer Philip R. Sundar, music composer Ghibran Vaibodha, action choreographer Action Santosh, choreographer Thanika Tony, editor Devaraj, production designer Kamalnathan, and dialogue writers Padma Chandrasekhar and Mohan G.