Chennai: Days after composer Ilayaraja urged musicians who perform his songs to pay him royalty, a section of producers today filed a case against the music director in the Madras High Court. They demanded that Ilayaraja should pay a portion of royalty that he collects for his songs to the producers of respective movies.
They claimed that without producers, there is no Ilayaraja and there are no songs from him. A group of six producers led by P T Selvakumar alleged in their petition with the High Court that the music composer has been claiming royalty for over 5000 songs tuned by him since late 1970s in Tamil cinema. There are many producers including KRG, Bharathiraja and K Balachander, who made movies with Ilayaraja as composer in his earlier days. Though all his songs became hit, yet hundreds of producers who made movies with Ilayaraja are in distress today.
Selvakumar, said, “When Ilayaraja gave audio rights to Echo company, it was said that producers would get 50 per cent of the royalty. But it was not paid to any of the producers. It should be given immediately to them. Only the producer of the particular film for which he has composed songs has the right to claim the royalty. After all, producers commission the music composer for their movies and spend money for him, his technicians, studio and singers. Ilayaraja sir has also taken money for his work and did not do any free service. So, the property i.e., the music and songs, belong only to the producer who hires Ilayaraja.”
“We were forced to file a petition with the Madras High Court against Ilayaraja seeking to pay the producers who are suffering in poverty today,” he added.
Remember a few days ago, Ilayaraja, said, “I hold the rights of all my songs. Since I am no more a member of IPRS (Indian Performing Right Society), the royalty that I get from singers and others who use my songs will go to Cine Musicians Union henceforth.
Ilayaraja further stated, “If you wish to sing and perform my songs on stage without prior intimation, you are liable for legal action. This also includes people who play my music in instruments. And you all have to realise this is wrong. Please understand that Im not stopping you from singing. You are paying royalty for the money you earn and not for my song. If youre singing my songs for free, then you wont have to pay me. But, if you are earning money by singing my songs, what is wrong in me asking a share of it? When the song itself is mine, how can you deny my share? After all, it is a small amount and I do all these to legalise things.”