Ilaiyaraaja Takes Legal Action Against Unauthorized Use of His Songs in Dude

Legal Action Against Unauthorised Use of Music

The Tamil film Dude, directed by Pradeep Ranganathan, is currently embroiled in legal issues. Renowned music composer Ilaiyaraaja has taken a stand against the unauthorised use of his music in the film.

Ilaiyaraaja’s Complaint Filed

On October 22, the Madras High Court heard Ilaiyaraaja’s complaint against Sony Music. The composer argues that he is being subjected to exploitation by music companies that use his songs without permission. He contends that these companies are distorting his work and adding beats to it.

Ilaiyaraaja’s legal representative, Senior Advocate S Prabakaran, voiced concerns that the music company has yet to provide documentation regarding revenues earned from streaming his compositions. A snippet from the track “Karutha Machan” from the 1991 film Pudhu Nellu Pudhu Naathu was included in Dude.

Proceedings and Arguments

The court had previously instructed Sony Music to submit daily revenue reports from streaming activities involving Ilaiyaraaja’s music. During the proceedings, Prabakaran indicated that the music company had not submitted a formal response and requested revenue details, but was instead using a sealed envelope to keep this information private.

Prabakaran objected to this method, arguing that the Supreme Court had previously critiqued such practices. The judge decided to postpone acceptance of the sealed documents, awaiting the Supreme Court’s recommendations on the matter.

During the hearing, Prabakaran emphasized that it would be impractical for Ilaiyaraaja to pursue legal action against each major label each time his music was used. He highlighted his feelings of exploitation, stating, “I may be a famous music composer. But I’m being cheated by these music companies. They’re continuing to use my songs without any authorisation.” The court noted that Ilaiyaraaja retains the right to pursue separate actions if his songs are used illegally in any future projects.

What are your thoughts on artists’ rights in the music industry? How important do you think it is for creators to protect their work?