Chennai, July 2:
The Delhi High Court has ruled that legendary music composer Ilaiyaraaja cannot claim ownership rights over songs from 134 films, in a significant development in an ongoing copyright dispute.
The case was filed by Saregama India, involving music from several notable films including Annakili, 16 Vayathinile, Kavikkuyil, Bharathi, Pallavi Anu Pallavi, Mullum Malarum, Raja Paarvai, Nettrikann, and Kalyanaraman.
In its order, the court declined to set aside an interim relief earlier granted in favour of Saregama, allowing the protection to continue while the case proceeds. The dispute centres on the ownership and rights over the songs composed for these films.
Ilaiyaraaja was represented by a legal team that included senior advocate Swathi Sukumar during the proceedings.
The ruling does not conclude the case but ensures that the interim arrangement remains in place, maintaining Saregama’s position in the copyright matter until further hearings.
The development marks an important moment in the long-standing debate over music rights and ownership in the Indian film industry.