The Madras High Court on Tuesday questioned music maestro Ilaiyaraaja over his objections to the alleged unauthorized use of his songs, asking whether it is necessarily problematic if old songs become popular again.
While hearing the petition filed by Ilaiyaraaja, the court observed that many classic songs gain renewed popularity when re-released or used in new films after several years. The bench asked how such renewed trends adversely affect the composer, especially when the songs belong to earlier decades.
The petition pertains to the use of Ilaiyaraaja’s songs “Nuru Varsham” and “Karutha Machan” in the recently released film “Dude” without his permission. Ilaiyaraaja approached the court alleging copyright infringement and unauthorized usage.
The court has sought further clarifications before proceeding with the matter.