Is Bombay Jayshree’s Lullaby in “Life of Pi” Copied from a Malayalam Lullaby?

“Irayimman Thampi Smaraka Trust” at Varanadu near Cheruthala in Kerala has alleged that the first eight lines of Bombay Jayshree’s lullaby in the film ‘Life of Pi’  are ‘word-by-word’ translation of the Malayalam Lullaby “Omanathinkal Kidavo” written by Malayalam poet Irayimman Thampi written long ago and which has been passed on  over generations.

While Bombay Jayshree has denied that she had copied/translated the Malayalam lullaby as alleged and she had written the lullaby by putting in words whatever came to her mind while composing the song.

According to  Bombay Jayshree, the words and expressions in “Pi’s Lullaby” are that of love and affection expressed commonly by a mother to a child, such as Kuil, Mayil, Chanda, Sooraj, etc.

And ‘Kanne’, ‘kanmaniye’ and the like are the universal ways a mother would call her child.

Some of similar  expressions are found in “Sangam Tamil Literature”, especially Periazhwar’s, Andal pasurams.

However, the Kerala Trust Office Bearers protest that the Malyalam Lullaby should not have been translated for getting an award.

Related Reading:

List of Nominations and Awards Won in 85th Academy Awards by  India Based Movie-“Life of Pi”