Garividi Lakshmi and R.P. Patnaik give different accounts of the same songs

Dispute · updated 2026-10-27

Since the biopic's release, composer R.P. Patnaik and the folk singer Garividi Lakshmi have given interviews with different accounts of how some folk tunes reached his films. ViralWhy reports what each side has said; nothing here is a finding of fact.

The facts

1. According to Sakshi, Patnaik said in an interview that Uttarandhra folk songs belong to no single person, that he first met Lakshmi during the success celebrations of Chitram with director Teja and lyricist Kulasekhar, and that he had not been told the film would show him taking her tunes. Sakshi
2. Andhravilas reports that Lakshmi, in an interview, claimed the tunes of 'Raanu Raanu Antunde Chinnado' and 'Gajuvaka Pilla' were her own, and said she was promised a chance to sing them but was not paid, credited or allowed to sing; the outlet presents these as her allegations. Andhravilas
3. Great Andhra reports that director VN Aditya posted on Facebook in support of Patnaik, saying he had objected to the relevant scenes at the script stage; in its own commentary the outlet concluded that neither side's case has been proven. Great Andhra