Legendary music composer Ilaiyaraaja has taken legal action against Mythri Movie Makers, the producers of the upcoming Ajith Kumar starrer Good Bad Ugly, for the unauthorized use of his musical compositions. The legal notice, issued through his legal representatives Maths Law Associates, alleges copyright infringement and violation of the composer’s moral and statutory rights.
In the notice, Ilaiyaraaja claims that three of his iconic songs — “Otha Rubayum Tharen” from Nattupura Pattu, “Ilamai Idho Ido” from Sakalakala Vallavan, and “En Jodi Manja Kuruvi” from Vikram — were used in Good Bad Ugly without his permission or payment of due royalties. The composer asserted that he had not granted any express or implied consent for the use, modification, or adaptation of these works in any form, making their usage unauthorized and unlawful.
Citing Sections 19(9) and 19(10) of the Copyright Act, Ilaiyaraaja emphasized that as the original composer, he is entitled to receive royalties for the use of his work across all formats. He further invoked Section 51 for copyright infringement and mentioned that his moral rights under Section 57 were violated due to the distortion and alteration of his work without approval.
As part of the legal demands, Ilaiyaraaja has asked the production house to:
- Pay ₹5 crore as unpaid royalties, damages, and legal expenses.
- Immediately cease and desist from further use, distribution, or communication of the infringing content.
- Remove the altered versions of the songs from the film.
- Tender an unconditional written apology for the unauthorized use of his music.
- Provide a detailed account of revenue earned through commercial exploitation of the songs.
- Disclose any royalty or license fee payments made, if any.
The notice also warns of possible civil and criminal proceedings, including a claim for statutory damages and prosecution for willful infringement under Section 63 of the Copyright Act.
This legal tussle has sparked significant attention in the film and music industry, raising fresh questions about music rights, royalties, and ethical practices in the adaptation of legacy works.
