COIMBATORE: The manufacturer of ‘Sleepwell’ brand mattress has withdrawn a television commercial in which a popular film lyric penned by the legendary poet Kannadasan was used inappropriately angering a section of his admirers and family members.
In a front page report ‘Mattress Ad Gives Kannadasan’s Fans Sleepless Nights’ published on June 17, Express had highlighted that the poet’s family and admirers were livid that the lyric ‘Malarnthum Malaratha Pathi Malarpola…’ from the 1961-hit film Paasa Malar was given a negative twist in a television advertisement for ‘Sleepwell.’
B Narendhran, vice president (operations) of Sheela Foam P Ltd, which manufactures ‘Sleepwell’ mattress, held discussions with Coimbatore-based poet Marabin Mainthan Muthaiah, the founder of Kannadasan Kazhagam, who was the first to point out the inappropriate use of the lyric in the commercial. Muthaiah was representing his friend and Kannadasan’s son Gandhi Kannadasan.
On Thursday, Narendhran communicated to Muthaiah and Gandhi Kannadsan that “the current TV commercial screening will be stopped in all channels with effect from tomorrow (June 19).”
Further he assured that the concept of the lyric “will be utilised in the same way as it was conceptualised by our great poet Kannadasan in case we are using the song while developing the next commercial.”
While stating that the company had obtained permission to use the lyric from the music company that owns the right for the song, Narendhran added that he would meet Gandhi Kannadasan and convey that the company had no intentions of hurting the image of Kannadasan or his lyrics.