The Delhi High Court has ordered renowned composer Ilaiyaraaja to refrain from using or exploiting his musical compositions associated with 134 films. This directive arises from a copyright conflict initiated by Saregama, which asserts that it holds exclusive rights to these works through agreements established with film producers from 1976 to 2001.

Justice Tushar Rao Gedela issued the ex-parte ad interim order on February 13, emphasizing that permitting Ilaiyaraaja to continue utilizing these compositions would potentially lead to irreparable harm to Saregama.

Scope of the Injunction Affects Decades of Work

The court’s injunction significantly impacts a vast array of works created over Ilaiyaraaja’s lengthy career. Saregama has accused the composer of having recently uploaded and authorized the use of multiple compositions under dispute on various digital music platforms, such as Amazon Music, iTunes, and JioSaavn. The audio label argues that such actions infringe upon their copyright ownership, contending that the associated rights were granted to Saregama on a global and unrestricted basis.

Ongoing Legal Disputes

In addition to the current case, Saregama and Ilaiyaraaja are also involved in a separate legal matter concerning the rights to the Tamil song “En Iniya Pon Nilave” from the film Moodu Pani. In this case, the High Court similarly ruled in favor of Saregama, reinforcing the company’s claims over specific musical works. This legal entanglement further illustrates the complexities surrounding music copyright ownership in the Indian film industry.

Framework of Copyright Law Underpinning the Case

According to Saregama’s legal petition, the Copyright Act of 1957 along with pertinent Supreme Court rulings, stipulates that a film producer is deemed the primary copyright owner of commissioned works, unless otherwise specified in the contractual agreements. The audio label asserts that its pacts with film producers have conferred exclusive ownership rights over both the affected sound recordings and their underlying compositions.

Ilaiyaraaja’s Assertions Regarding Copyright Ownership

This current conflict originated when Ilaiyaraaja sent a legal notice in January, claiming rights over various musical works he composed for several films, including those involved in the ongoing dispute. The complexities of copyright ownership in the music sector highlight the intricate nature of artists’ rights and the legal frameworks governing them.

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