Aavesham composer criticises Netflix for using his track without credit

Malayalam music director Sushin Shyam has called out Netflix after discovering that his song was used in the trailer of the streaming giant’s upcoming series Splinter Cell: Deathwatch without giving him due credit.

The track in question, The Last Dance from Fahadh Faasil’s blockbuster Aavesham, features prominently in the trailer, but neither Shyam nor rapper-singer Hanumankind received acknowledgement.

The composer expressed his displeasure publicly in the comments section of the trailer on YouTube, writing: "Thanks Netflix for featuring my track! Would've been even cooler if my name had made it to the credits too (sic)."

While the inclusion of his work exposed it to a wider global audience, the oversight reignited debates about recognition for regional artists whose creations cross international borders.

Shyam is currently one of Malayalam cinema’s most sought-after composers, with an impressive slate of upcoming projects. These include Balan (with director Chidambaram), KD, Yash’s Toxic, Thalapathy Vijay’s Jana Nayagan, and a Hindi thriller directed by Priyadarshan. He has also signed on for Tharun Moorthy’s Torpedo, starring Fahadh Faasil, Naslen, Arjun Das, and Ganapathi, as well as an upcoming Suriya film.

On the personal front, Shyam recently celebrated a milestone moment in his career when Oscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman followed him on Instagram — a gesture he described as his “first true fanboy moment.”