Malayalam composer Sushin Shyam, who gave Aavesham its pulsating soundscape, has publicly raised concerns after hearing his track The Last Dance in the teaser of Netflix’s new animated series Splinter Cell: Deathwatch. The track, originally created with rapper Hanumankind, plays prominently in the action-packed promo, but neither artiste was credited.
A Familiar Beat, An Absent Credit
The teaser quickly went viral, but for Malayalam cinema fans, the music was unmistakable. Sushin drew attention to the omission in typically wry fashion, commenting beneath the official YouTube upload: “Thanks Netflix for featuring my track! Would’ve been even cooler if my name had made it to the credits too.” His words sparked a wider discussion online about how regional creators often slip through the cracks when their work is repurposed for global platforms. As of now, neither Netflix nor Ubisoft, which owns the Splinter Cell franchise, has issued a statement.
Milestones Beyond the Controversy
The composer, however, has also had reasons to celebrate. Recently, Sushin described experiencing his “first real fanboy moment” when AR Rahman followed him on Instagram, a gesture he said left him overwhelmed and grateful. On the personal front, Sushin tied the knot last year, while professionally he has been on a short breather since delivering back-to-back hits with Manjummel Boys and Aavesham.
Still, he hasn’t been idle. July saw him drop Ray, his first independent single, marking a step into non-film music. And on the horizon are two big projects: Balan: The Boy, directed by Chidambaram and written by Aavesham filmmaker Jithu Madhavan, and Torpedo, filmmaker Tharun Moorthy’s next, starring Fahadh Faasil, Naslen, Arjun Das and Ganapathi.
The Bigger Picture
Sushin’s blunt yet humorous response highlights a larger debate: when regional music travels beyond borders, are its creators given their due? While The Last Dance finding space in a high-profile Netflix production is undeniably a milestone, the lack of credit raises uncomfortable questions about visibility and fairness. For now, the incident has amplified Sushin’s voice beyond Kerala and reaffirmed the growing global appetite for music born in Indian cinema.
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