Deva once clarified the ‘Kandha Sashti Kavasam’ controversy: How a deleted scene in Sarathkumar and Roja’s ‘Sooryan’ led to backlash |

Legendary composer Deva, who recently passed away, leaves behind a rich musical legacy and several stories from his long career in the Tamil film industry. One such episode involves the controversy surrounding the use of the devotional hymn ‘Kandha Sashti Kavasam’ in the 1998 film ‘Sooryan’. The song faced criticism over its use of the hymn, but Deva had previously explained the circumstances behind its composition, revealing how an editing change contributed to the controversy.

Deva explained why ‘Kandha Sashti Kavasam’ was used in ‘Sooryan’

During an appearance on the SSMusic podcast, Deva recalled the director’s original idea for the scene featuring Sarathkumar and Roja. In the film, Sarathkumar plays an IPS officer who is in hiding after secretly marrying Roja. While listening to a transistor, his character hears ‘Kandha Sashti Kavasam’ playing. Roja then pulls him inside the house and offers to sing a duet in the same tune. According to Deva’s explanation, the director wanted the opening lines of the duet to follow the devotional hymn’s tune before transitioning into a different melody. The composer said the song was created to suit this specific situation rather than to deliberately offend religious sentiments.

Soolamangalam Sisters gave permission for the devotional tune

Deva also explained that he approached the Soolamangalam Sisters, renowned for their rendition of ‘Kandha Sashti Kavasam,’ before using the tune. He reportedly explained the scene and sought their permission to incorporate it into the song. After understanding the context, they agreed, allowing him to proceed with the composition. However, the final version that reached theatres was different from what he had originally intended. During editing, the director removed the scene that established the connection between the devotional hymn and the characters’ situation.

Deleted scene sparked backlash against Deva’s song

Deva reportedly learnt about the change only after watching the film on screen. With the contextual scene missing, the song appeared to begin directly with a tune associated with the devotional hymn, prompting objections from some viewers. The composer was upset with the director over the edit, as he felt the decision had damaged his reputation despite his efforts to seek permission beforehand. The incident proved to be one of the controversial episodes in his life. Reflecting on Deva’s life after his death, fans can understand why this controversy arose regarding the song, ‘Sooryan’, from the explanation Deva provided.