Madras High Court rejects Ilaiyaraaja's sole ownership claim

Madras High Court rejects Ilaiyaraaja’s claim of sole ownership of a song

The High Court was hearing an appeal filed by music company Echo regarding the copyright of around 4,500 songs composed by Ilaiyaraaja.

BySouth First Desk

Published Apr 26, 2024 | 4:28 PM ⚊UpdatedApr 26, 2024 | 4:28 PM

Madras High Court rejects Ilaiyaraaja's claim of sole ownership of a song

Maestro Ilaiyaraaja. (Supplied)

The Madras High Court recently passed a judgement claiming that Ilaiyaraaja doesn’t have sole claim over the songs he composed.

The bench consisting of Justice Mahadevan and Justice Muhammad Sadiq observed that a song is not just the melody but also the lyrics, singers’ voices, and many other things.

The court was hearing an appeal filed by the music company Echo regarding the copyright of around 4,500 songs composed by Ilaiyaraaja.

The bench was considering a petition filed by the recording company Echo, asserting ownership of 4,500 songs composed by the artist. The petition opposed a prior ruling by a single judge, which had granted exclusive ownership of the songs to Ilaiyaraaja.

As per a report carried by Indian Express, Echo bought the rights to the songs from the filmmakers of the songs. However, Ilaiaraaja’s side claimed ownership of the 4,500 songs, thus leading to a legal dispute.

While the music company argued that the rights belong to film producers since they pay remuneration to the composers, Ilaiyaraaja’s lawyers argued that the song belongs to the person who composes the tune.

Furthermore, the court emphasised that any financial dealings related to the songs would be subject to review during the appeal process.