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Madras High Court Reserves Orders in Ilaiyaraaja Song-Rights Case Over ‘Good Bad Ugly’

The dispute centers on control over licensing of legacy film songs without Ilaiyaraaja’s permission.

Overview

  • Justice N. Senthilkumar reserved orders on Mythri Movie Makers’ plea to vacate a September 8 interim injunction, keeping the restraint on three songs in place.
  • Ilaiyaraaja argued he never assigned his copyrights, that musical works are distinct from the film, and that recent uses altered his compositions in ways that violate his moral rights.
  • Mythri said it lawfully licensed the tracks from music labels for ₹10–40 lakh each and contended the composer delayed seeking interim relief months after the April theatrical release.
  • Counsel for the labels said they acquired rights from production houses such as AVM Productions in the 1990s and that no agreements barred those producers from transferring song rights.
  • The injunction covers ‘Otha Ruba Tharen,’ ‘Ilamai Idho Idho,’ and ‘En Jodi Manja Kuruvi,’ with the court hearing arguments from Ilaiyaraaja, Mythri, and the labels before reserving its decision.