Legendary Music Composer Ilaiyaraja Sends Legal Notice to Producers of Malayalam Movie “Manjummel Boys” for Unauthorized Use of Song
Legendary music composer Ilaiyaraja has taken legal action against the producers of the Malayalam movie “Manjummel Boys” for allegedly using his song “Kanmani Anbodu Kadhalan” without proper authorization. Ilaiyaraja, who composed the song for the 1991 movie “Guna,” claimed that as the original owner of his musical works, he holds absolute rights, including moral rights over all of his original musical works.
Despite the producers giving credit to him in the title cards, Ilaiyaraja stated that this did not substitute for his permission or consent for the use of his musical work. He emphasized that any third party intending to use his original musical work for commercial benefit must acquire the necessary permission or license from him.
Ilaiyaraja pointed out that the makers of “Manjummel Boys” had used the song multiple times in the movie and continued to use it for promotional materials across various platforms and media. He alleged that the producers were attempting to profit and gain viewership through improper means.
As the owner of the musical work, Ilaiyaraja cited protection under the Copyrights Act 1957 and demanded that the producers either obtain proper permission to use the song or remove it from the movie and promotional activities. Additionally, he sought compensation for the unauthorized use of the song within a 15-day period.
The legal notice serves as a reminder of the importance of respecting intellectual property rights in the entertainment industry and the consequences of unauthorized use of copyrighted material. It remains to be seen how the producers of “Manjummel Boys” will respond to Ilaiyaraja’s demands.