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The Madras High Court, on Monday, September 8, passed an interim order restraining Mythri Movie Makers, producers of Ajith Kumar-starrer Good Bad Ugly, from exhibiting, screening, distributing, or broadcasting the film with three songs composed by music maestro Ilaiyaraaja. Justice N Senthilkumar granted an ex-parte interim injunction in response to a copyright infringement suit filed by the composer.
The disputed tracks include ‘Ilamai Idho Idho’ from Sakalakala Vallavan (1982), ‘En Jodi Manja Kuruvi’ from Vikram (1986), and ‘Otha Ruba Tharen’ from Nattupura Pattu (1996). Ilaiyaraaja, hailed as Isaignani, asserted that he remains the first owner of the copyrights and that the songs were used in the film without his consent.
In April, Ilaiyaraaja had issued a legal notice demanding the removal of the tracks, compensation of Rs 5 crore, a public apology, and a detailed account of revenues. While the production house replied that they had obtained necessary authorisations, they failed to specify the entities or the nature of permissions. Justice Senthilkumar observed that the reply was “bald” while granting the injunction.
Ilaiyaraaja’s legal notice to Mythri Movie Makers described the works as having been “used, altered, and commercially exploited without obtaining express consent/permission … and without payment of royalties.” It further stressed: “Such actions constitute unauthorised use, appropriation and a clear infringement of our Client’s copyright and moral rights.”
The notice demanded not only compensation and removal of the altered songs, but also a written apology and a detailed revenue account.
Directed by Aadi Ravi Chandra, Good Bad Ugly was released on April 10 and grossed nearly Rs 100 crore in its opening week. The film had incorporated Ilaiyaraaja’s compositions in altered form, which the composer argued amounted to commercial exploitation without royalties. “Such actions constitute unauthorised use, appropriation and a clear infringement of copyright and moral rights,” his legal team stated in the plaint.
Producers Mythri Movie Makers, however, maintained that they followed due process. Co-producer Yalamanchili Ravi Shankar said: “The labels hold the rights, so we have followed protocol and taken NOCs from them. We have done things by the book.”
This is not Ilaiyaraaja’s first legal battle over his catalogue. In recent years, he has taken action against the makers of Manjummel Boys (for ‘Kanmani Anbodu’ from Guna) and Rajinikanth-starrer Coolie (for ‘Vaa Vaa Pakkam Vaa’ from Thangamagan) for alleged unauthorised use of his tracks. While his dispute over ‘Kanmani Anbodu’ was eventually settled for Rs 60 lakh, the composer has remained vocal about asserting his “moral rights” over more than 4,500 songs he created between the 1970s and 1990s.
The interim injunction will remain in force until the court hears the case further.