Ilaiyaraaja Wins Court Battle: ‘Good Bad Ugly’ Barred From Using His Music

The Madras High Court has granted veteran composer Ilaiyaraaja interim relief in his copyright battle with the makers of Good Bad Ugly over unauthorized use of his songs.

Ilaiyaraaja wins interim court order against unauthorised use of his music in 'Good Bad Ugly'.

Source : IMDb

Veteran music composer Ilaiyaraaja has secured a significant legal victory in his copyright dispute with the makers of the upcoming film ‘Good Bad Ugly’, starring Ajith Kumar and Trisha Krishnan. The Madras High Court has issued an interim injunction preventing the release and distribution of the film over the alleged unauthorised use of three iconic songs composed by Ilaiyaraaja.

Justice N. Senthilkumar passed the order on Monday after reviewing the petition filed by the composer, which accused the producers — Mythri Movie Makers — of failing to obtain direct consent for using his music.a

Three Iconic Tracks at the Centre of the Dispute

According to the petition, three of Ilaiyaraaja’s popular tracks —“Otha Ruba Tharen” from Naattu Purapaatu (1996), “Ilamai Idho Idho” from Sakalakala Vallavan (1982), “En Jodi Manja Kuruvi” from Vikram (1986) — were used in Good Bad Ugly without the composer’s permission or royalty payments.

In his legal notice, Ilaiyaraaja wrote,“Such actions constitute unauthorised use, appropriation and a clear infringement of our Client’s copyright and moral rights. You may also please take note that he has never accorded any permission or consent, either express or implied, for using/altering/distorting/changing the form of the musical work…”

Composer Seeks Rs 5 Crore Compensation and Public Apology

The composer is seeking Rs 5 crore in damages and has asked for an unconditional apology from the producers. He further demanded that the altered versions of the songs be removed from all platforms and that no further screening or publishing should take place without legal clearance.

His notice reads,“Remove the altered versions of the songs... and all platforms where they are published or performed; Tender an unconditional [apology].”

The interim order bars the makers from releasing or broadcasting the film on any medium — including theatres, OTT, or TV — until further instructions are issued by the court.

Producer Responds: “We Followed Due Process”

In response to the allegations, Yalamanchili Ravi Shankar, producer at Mythri Movie Makers, defended the production house’s actions. He claimed they had acquired the necessary No Objection Certificates (NOCs) from music labels before using the songs.

“We have taken permission from all the music labels required for the songs we used in the film. The labels hold the rights, so we have followed protocol and taken NOCs from them. We have done things by the book,” Shankar stated.

What Happens Next?

While the producers maintain that they acted within legal bounds, the Madras High Court’s order marks a significant moment in Indian film copyright disputes — particularly around the ongoing debate over moral rights versus label rights in the music industry.

With the court's ban in place, the release of Good Bad Ugly may face delays unless the producers reach a resolution or secure further legal recourse.