Legendary composer Illaiyaraaja has once again found himself in a legal tussle with film producers over alleged unauthorized use of his music. This time, the acclaimed musician has initiated legal proceedings against the makers of Dude, directed by Keerthiswaran and produced by Mythri Movie Makers, for using his classic song Karutha Machan from the 1991 film Pudhu Nellu Pudhu Naathu without prior permission.
The Madras High Court, presided over by Judge N Senthilkumar, granted Ilaiyaraaja permission to proceed with the case against the filmmakers. The composer has also named Sony Music Entertainment India, Echo Recording Company and Oriental Records as respondents, citing the unlawful use of his copyright work in the Pradeep Ranganathan starrer.
According to reports, the song Karutha Machan was featured during a wedding sequence in Dude, played humorously as part of an interval dance scene involving Pradeep Ranganathan and Mamitha Baiju. Despite being used briefly, Ilaiyaaraja’s legal team argued that any inclusion of his compositions in commercial works without his consent constitutes copyright infringement.
During the court hearing, Ilaiyaraaja’s representatives highlighted that Sony Music had yet to respond to the composer’s earlier notices. The court has since directed the label to submit a detailed report of its income derived from the commercial use of Ilaiyaraaja’s catalogue. The case will be heard again on 19th November.
This isn’t the first time the veteran musician has taken legal steps to protect his intellectual property. Earlier this year, Ilaiyaraaja sued the same production company, over the alleged unauthorised use of his songs Oththa Roova from Nattupura Pattu (1996) and Illamai Idho Idho from Sakalakala Valavan (1982) in Good Bad Ugly, directed by Adhik Ravichandran and starring Ajith Kumar. Following a ruling by the Madras High Court in his favour, the two disputed tracks were removed and replaced with other compositions by GV Prakash from the same film.
Despite the ongoing legal dispute, Dude continues to perform strongly at the box office, reportedly crossing 50 crore mark in domestic collections within five days of release. The film produced under the banner of Mythri Movie Makers, has been praised for it’s humor and youthful energy, but the controversy surrounding the song’s use has added an unexpected twist to its success journey.
Sources: Cinema Express, The Indian Express
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