Madras High Court restrains Ajith Kumar-starrer Good Bad Ugly producer from utilizing Ilaiyaraajas songs in film

The Madras High Court, on Monday (September 8, 2025), restrained Telangana-based Mythri Movie Makers, the producers of Ajith Kumar-starrer Good Bad Ugly (GBU), from exhibiting, screening, promoting, distributing, publishing or broadcasting the film on any platform, together with OTT, together with three songs composed by acclaimed musician R. Ilaiyaraaja for different motion pictures between 1982 and 1996.

Justice N. Senthilkumar granted the interim injunction pursuant to a copyright infringement swimsuit filed by the music composer in opposition to the manufacturing agency. The decide mentioned he was inclined to grant the ex-parte interim order in favour of the plaintiff because the manufacturing agency had given a “bald” reply on April 28, 2025 to a authorized discover issued to it on April 11, 2025.

The decide identified that the plaintiff, in his authorized discover, had claimed to be the primary proprietor of the copyright of the songs Otha Ruba Tharen from the 1996 film Nattupura Pattu that includesactor Sivakumar, Ilamai Idho Idho from Kamal Haasan-starrer 1982 flick Sakalakala Vallavan and En Jodi Manja Kuruvi from the 1986 film Vikram, additionally starring Mr. Haasan, and accused the defendant of not having obtained his permission to make use of these songs.

In its reply to the authorized discover, the manufacturing agency had claimed to have obtained obligatory authorisation from the homeowners of the copyright, however failed to provide particulars with respect to the people/companies from which such authorisation had been obtained and the character of such authorisation. Therefore, the decide was satisfied that the plaintiff was entitled to the interim injunction as searched for by him.

In his plaint, Mr. Ilaiyaraaja mentioned he was a music composer, conductor, arranger, lyricist and in addition a singer with unparalleled achievements to his credit score. He had earned the title of ‘Maestro’ and was additionally hailed as Isaignani, that means a musical genius. The plaintiff asserted he was the copyright holder of the three songs in query, they usually couldn’t have been utilized in GBU with out his categorical consent.

Since the defendant manufacturing agency had commercially exploited the three songs in its film with out his authorisation, the plaintiff accused it of getting blatantly violated the provisions of the Copyright Act of 1957.