The producers of ‘Manjummel Boys,’ Soubin Shahir, Babu Shahir, and Shawn Antony, reportedly paid Rs 60 lakh in compensation to composer Ilaiyaraaja for the unauthorized use of the song ‘Kanmani Anbodu’ from the film ‘Gunaa.’ According to reports, after the Malayalam film became a huge success, Ilaiyaraaja demanded Rs 2 crore in compensation. The filmmaker included the iconic song ‘Kanmani Anbodu’ in the climax, which received widespread acclaim. The song’s placement was crucial to the film’s success.
In May, Ilaiyaraaja and his team issued a legal notice to the producers of ‘Manjummel Boys’ for copyright infringement. The composer alleged that the filmmakers used the song without his permission or obtaining a No Objection Certificate (NOC).
In the notice, Ilaiyaraaja’s counsel asserted that he holds the exclusive rights to his musical works. Although the producers of ‘Manjummel Boys’ expressed their gratitude to Ilaiyaraaja in the closing credits, his counsel still described it as an “exploitation of work.”
‘Manjummel Boys,’ directed by Chidambaram, grossed over Rs 200 crore globally. One of the film’s producers claimed they had purchased the song rights in Tamil and Telugu from the audio labels Pyramid and Sreedevi Sounds. However, Ilaiyaraaja’s team asserted that he is the sole owner of his work.
‘Manjummel Boys’ is one of the blockbuster films of 2024. The movie tells the story of a group of friends who plan a trip to Kodaikanal. During the trip, one of their friends falls into the perilous fissures of the famous ‘Gunaa’ cave. This survival drama revolves around how they manage to rescue their friend with minimal help.
Source: India Today
