The legal dispute between legendary composer Ilaiyaraaja and music label Saregama has entered a crucial phase, with the Delhi High Court recently issuing an interim order in Saregama’s favour. In effect, the court has temporarily restrained Ilaiyaraaja and his representatives from licensing or commercially exploiting certain songs that form part of Saregama’s claimed catalogue.
To put it simply, the restriction will remain in place while the matter is examined in detail. Importantly, this is not a final verdict, but only a temporary measure to maintain the present position.
At the heart of the dispute is the question of who holds the commercial rights to several classic film songs composed by Ilaiyaraaja decades ago. These tracks were originally created for films produced by different banners, and in due course the audio rights for many of them were acquired by Saregama. In other words, the disagreement is about control and licensing. The central point is whether the label’s ownership of the recordings gives it full commercial authority, or whether the composer’s authorship also gives him a continuing say in usage.
From a legal standpoint, the complication arises because film music involves two distinct rights, namely the musical composition and the sound recording. On one hand, the composition belongs to the creator of the tune. On the other hand, the recording is generally owned by the producer or the company that later purchases the audio rights.
According to Saregama, it lawfully secured these recording rights through earlier producer agreements and therefore controls commercial exploitation. By contrast, Ilaiyaraaja maintains that his composer rights must also be taken into account when the songs are licensed or reused. Given that many of these agreements were signed long before the streaming era, their scope is now under legal scrutiny.
As things stand, the case is ongoing, and the final outcome will depend on how the court interprets the original contracts and copyright terms. In the broader picture, the ruling could influence how legacy film music rights are treated in the digital and streaming marketplace.