After becoming the de facto face of the #MeToo movement in the South, and her subsequent ouster from the dubbing union, Chinmayi Sripaada has been engaged in a tussle with the union and its president Radha Ravi. Infamous for his insensitive remarks, the actor had terminated Chinmayi (already a lifetime member) from the union, citing ‘non-payment of subscription fees’.
The singer initially put out a video where she spoke her side of the story. She was terminated without being intimated, and that too for not paying a sum of Rs 250 when the organisation’s earnings from her run into lakhs. She also spoke about the union charging 10 percent of remuneration from dubbing artistes, and its refusal to provide an invoice for the same.
In another tweet, the singer pointed out that she was singled out and terminated from the organisation for non-payment of subscription fee, though there were 95 other artistes who had subscription fee dues.
In case you didn’t watch the video – 95 members of the Dubbing Union haven’t paid subscription fees since 2016. I have been singled out and terminated. I have also paid the Lifetime Membership Fee as of 11 Feb 2016 via Bank Transfer.
— Chinmayi Sripaada (@Chinmayi) November 24, 2018
Later, she put out a photo of the termination letter issued by the dubbing union.
Here is the formal letter from the dubbing union saying I am no longer a member.
I *have* paid the lifetime membership fee on 11 February 2016. pic.twitter.com/kr2Tprbz8m— Chinmayi Sripaada (@Chinmayi) November 24, 2018
She went on to explain the ramifications of this order; the managers having been asked by the union not to entail the services of non-members. In case a non-member was found to have worked on a movie, the directors of these movies will be asked to issue an apology letter, or the release of the movie is threatened by the union.
While Radha Ravi was busy questioning the veracity of claims made by women during the #MeToo movement, Chinmayi unearthed a scam that exposed the dubbing union president as having anointed himself with the ‘Datuk’ title of Malaysia. It’s a prestigious award conferred by the Malaysian ruler, and its recipients include the likes of Shah Rukh Khan and Jackie Chan.
Mr. Radha Ravi had anointed himself with the highly coveted ‘Datuk’ title bestowed by the Govt of Malaysia. Mr. @VDasarathy said there is no real report anywhere except this news article which says he has been ‘selected’.https://t.co/KDW6nsQnM1
— Chinmayi Sripaada (@Chinmayi) November 29, 2018
“The issue came up during a meeting I had with the other dubbing union members to understand the bylaws. That Mr Radha Ravi was awarded the title of ‘Datuk’ had always been under doubt. It was Mr Dasarathy who mentioned this,” Chinmayi said.
“Radha Ravi claims to have received the award at a function organised at a private hotel here. This is not the usual practice with the awards as it is conferred in Malaysia itself,” she said. She then contacted a Malaysian official and confirmed that Radha Ravi was bestowed with no such honour.
However, my dear jimblippippiees on Instagram did some more sleuthing and I eventually wrote to the Chief Secretary Public Affairs of the Chief Minister of Melaka, from where Mr. Radha Ravi claims to have been awarded the title and I got this response. pic.twitter.com/jZqzjOYLw2
— Chinmayi Sripaada (@Chinmayi) November 29, 2018
She also posted the link to a portal which has details of those who have won the award. Radha Ravi’s credentials turned up no results.
Turns out his name is not the Govt records where other awardees that we would know of are Jackie Chan and Mr Shah Rukh Khan.https://t.co/k3jAeWgdcl
Enter their names in the field and you’ll find the year they have been awarded. There are corresponding news reports as well.— Chinmayi Sripaada (@Chinmayi) November 29, 2018
When asked if the exposé would urge people to rethink the dubbing union and its dictatorial reign, and bring to people’s attention the plight of the dubbing union artistes, she said, “I honestly don’t know if there’s going to be a change in perspective. It’s for others to decide. I am simply doing what I have to do.”
