Delhi HC temporarily restrains composer Ilaiyaraaja from using his works from 134 films in copyright row
Saregama's suit comes after it discovered that works involving Ilaiyaraaja had been uploaded on various platforms, with the composer “also alleged to have made ownership claims over the infringing content.”
Justice Tushar Rao Gedela restrained the Rajya Sabha member from making any claim of ownership to third parties or issuing any license for exploitation in relation to Saregama’s copyrighted works in 134 such films.
The Delhi High Court on February 13 restrained Padma Bhushan-awardee musician, singer, and composer Ilaiyaraaja, and anyone working on his behalf, from using or issuing licenses for literary and musical works and recordings copyrighted by the record label Saregama.
The injunction has been granted as an interim measure in favour of the record label, and without hearing Ilaiyaraaja, that is an ex parte order.
Saregama, which moved a suit claiming copyright infringement over songs of cinematographic films, has claimed that between 1976 and 2001, the record label had entered into various assignment agreements with the producers of 134 films, vesting the label with the copyright over the sound recordings, musical and literary works of these cinematographic films as “absolute, worldwide and in perpetuity.”
Justice Tushar Rao Gedela also restrained the Rajya Sabha member from making any claim of ownership to third parties or issuing any license for exploitation in relation to Saregama’s copyrighted works in 134 such films.
The label has accused Ilaiyaraaja of “exploiting the copyright works” of Saregama, by “granting unauthorised licenses to a third party for using the said works and simultaneously making baseless claims against the legal title/copyright of (Saregama) in various sound recordings and musical works.”
The suit comes after the label discovered earlier this month that works involving Ilaiyaraaja had been uploaded on various platforms like Amazon Music, iTunes, Jio Saavan, etc., with the composer “also alleged to have made ownership claims over the infringing content.”
Ilaiyaraaja sent a legal notice to the label on January 13, claiming rights to the musical works he created, composed, arranged, and orchestrated for all cinematograph films.
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Saregama has asserted that since it entered into various license agreements with third parties to allow them to use its copyrighted works, its rights over the works are well recognised and accepted. Further, the label relied on its agreements with the producers of the cinematograph films, who assigned their copyrights in the sound recordings, musical and literary works in the 134 films “irrevocably”.
In 2017, Ilaiyaraaja sent a legal notice to his longtime collaborator, S P Balasubrahmanyam, seeking royalty payments for live performances of his compositions and accusing Balasubrahmanyam of copyright infringement. The issue was subsequently resolved out-of-court.
In the past, Ilaiyaraaja has contended, including before the Madras High Court in a legal battle with record labels, that he holds copyright in his musical work as composer and author, a copyright that the film’s owner cannot infringe.
Sohini Ghosh is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express. Previously based in Ahmedabad covering Gujarat, she recently moved to the New Delhi bureau, where she primarily covers legal developments at the Delhi High Court
Professional Profile
Background: An alumna of the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), she previously worked with ET NOW before joining The Indian Express.
Core Beats: Her reporting is currently centered on the Delhi High Court, with a focus on high-profile constitutional disputes, disputes over intellectual property, criminal and civil cases, issues of human rights and regulatory law (especially in the areas of technology and healthcare).
Earlier Specialty: In Gujarat, she was known for her rigorous coverage in the beats of crime, law and policy, and social justice issues, including the 2002 riot cases, 2008 serial bomb blast case, 2016 flogging of Dalits in Una, among others.
She has extensively covered health in the state, including being part of the team that revealed the segregation of wards at the state’s largest government hospital on lines of faith in April 2020.
With Ahmedabad being a UNESCO heritage city, she has widely covered urban development and heritage issues, including the redevelopment of the Sabarmati Ashram
Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
Her recent reporting from the Delhi High Court covers major political, constitutional, corporate, and public-interest legal battles:
High-Profile Case Coverage
She has extensively covered the various legal battles - including for compensation under the aegis of North East Delhi Riots Claims Commission - pertaining to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, as well as 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
She has also led coverage at the intersection of technology and governance, and its impact on the citizenry, from, and beyond courtrooms — such as the government’s stakeholder consultations for framing AI-Deepfake policy.
Signature Style
Sohini is recognized for her sustained reporting from courtrooms and beyond. She specialises in breaking down dense legal arguments to make legalese accessible for readers. Her transition from Gujarat to Delhi has seen her expand her coverage on regulatory, corporate and intellectual property law, while maintaining a strong commitment to human rights and lacuna in the criminal justice system.
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