The Madras High Court has issued a series of strong interim orders upholding legendary music composer Ilaiyaraaja’s exclusive rights over his musical works and his personality.
The court reaffirmed that Ilaiyaraaja’s songs cannot be used, performed, or monetised on digital platforms without his prior permission or a valid licence. Producers and music labels—including Sony Music and the makers of Good Bad Ugly and Manjummel Boys—have been restrained from unauthorised use of his compositions.
In a significant recent order, the High Court also protected Ilaiyaraaja’s personality rights, prohibiting social media channels, YouTubers, and digital creators from using his name, image, or titles (such as “Isaignani”) for commercial purposes without consent.
While Ilaiyaraaja has received several favourable interim rulings, the broader copyright dispute remains ongoing in the Madras and Bombay High Courts. The Supreme Court recently declined his plea to transfer all related cases to Madras.
The composer maintains that older contracts with film producers covered only physical formats like cassettes and CDs, and did not grant rights for modern digital exploitation.