Madras High Court Orders Sony Music To Reveal Profits On Ilaiyaraaja Songs

The Madras High Court has ordered Sony Music Entertainment India Pvt Ltd to submit details regarding the revenue earned from the commercial use of music composed by veteran music director Ilaiyaraaja. This development comes after Ilaiyaraaja filed a case against Sony Music Entertainment India Pvt Ltd and Oriental Records, alleging unauthorized use of his songs.

Ilaiyaraaja claims that Sony Music has been using his compositions without permission, violating copyright law. He asserts that he is the rightful owner of his musical works, having composed music for around 7,500 film songs in various languages. The court has directed Sony to provide complete details of income and expenditure related to the commercial use of Ilaiyaraaja's songs. Justice N Senthilkumar adjourned the hearing to October 22, allowing Sony to comply with the court's order.

Ilaiyaraaja's petition highlights that Sony's actions are unlawful, and the company must be barred from altering his songs or creating compilations using them. The case is part of a larger dispute between Ilaiyaraaja and music companies over copyright ownership. In a related case, the Supreme Court recently rejected Ilaiyaraaja's plea to transfer a copyright case involving Sony Music from the Bombay High Court to the Madras High Court.

The outcome of this case may have significant implications for the music industry, particularly regarding copyright ownership and royalties. As the case continues, it remains to be seen how the court will rule on Ilaiyaraaja's claims and what impact it will have on the music industry.