It’s not unusual for music directors to be accused of taking inspiration from songs in other languages—particularly English, Spanish or Latin. Now, netizens are trolling Anirudh Ravichander, the music director of the upcoming film Coolie, for plagiarism. Superstar Rajinikanth is playing the lead in this film, which is being directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj. The song Power House from the film was recently launched at a live event in Hyderabad by Anirudh himself.
Anirudh, one of the leading music composers in South India, is known for scoring music for several major films, especially Rajinikanth-starrers. However, with the release of Power House, he has landed in controversy, as many netizens claim that the song is a direct copy of American rapper Lil Nas X’s 2021 hit Industry Baby. The original English track, released on YouTube, has garnered over 325 million views.
Social media users noted striking similarities between the two tracks—particularly in the beat, tune and overall composition. As a result, many have accused Anirudh of copying the American song for Coolie. The film is scheduled for theatrical release on August 14, 2025. Shruti Haasan plays the female lead, while Nagarjuna Akkineni also has a key role.
