Award-winning composer Ilayaraja is in legal trouble after music label Saregama sued him for uploading his copyrighted music works on digital streaming platforms like Amazon Music, iTunes and JioSawn. According to a recent update by news agency ANI, Justice Tushar Rao Kedela, who heard the commercial case filed by the music label, passed the order on February 13. It restricted the composer from exploiting or licensing certain copyrighted sound recordings and musical works to which the company claimed rights.
Saregama vs Ilaiyaraaja
According to the report, Justice Tushar Rao Kedela said Sarigam would suffer irreparable loss and injury if Ilayaraja was not restrained from using the audio recordings.
Meanwhile, the bar and bench informed the court order. In it, “Defendant [Ilaiyaraaja]its shareholders or owners, licensees, assigns, officers, employees, agents, representatives, contractors, affiliates and other persons acting on behalf of the defendant are prohibited from exploiting/using/granting licenses to the plaintiff’s copyrighted works. annexed to this order or to claim a third party right or grant a license for exploitation in respect of the plaintiff’s copyrighted works.”
What is Sarekama’s request?
In its defence, Saregama opined that between 1976 and 2001, it had entered into employment contracts with the producers of several cinematographic films. Pursuant to these agreements, the copyright in sound recordings, as well as musical and literary works, is assigned exclusively to the Company on a worldwide, perpetual basis.
Ilayaraja uploaded and endorsed many of these works on digital streaming platforms including Amazon Music, iTunes and JioSaavn in February. He went ahead and asserted rights over them. At the company’s request, the Copyright Act 1957 and Supreme Court orders state that a filmmaker becomes the first owner of copyright in works commissioned for a cinematographic film, unless there is an agreement to the contrary.
The veteran music composer is known for composing music for over 1,400 films in various languages including Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi and Marathi. He has won National Film Awards for Best Music Direction including Sagara Sangamam (1984), Sindhu Bhairavi (1986), and Rudraveena (1989).
