COIMBATORE:The manufacturer of ‘Sleepwell’ brand mattress has withdrawn a television commercial in which a popular film lyric penned by the legendary poet Kannadasan was used inappropriately angering a section of his admirers and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 report 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.’
Following this, 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, Narendran told Muthaiah and Gandhi Kannadsan that “the current TV commercial screening will be stopped in all channels with effect from tomorrow.’’