The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a petition filed by legendary music composer Ilaiyaraaja seeking the transfer of a high-profile copyright dispute from the Bombay High Court to the Madras High Court.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai and Justices K. Vinod Chandran and N.V. Anjaria turned down the plea, refusing to accept the arguments advanced by senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, who represented Ilaiyaraaja.
The dispute involves over 500 of Ilaiyaraaja’s musical compositions. The proceedings were initiated by Sony Music Entertainment India through a 2022 lawsuit before the Bombay High Court. Sony sought an injunction against Ilaiyaraaja Music N Management Pvt Ltd (IMMPL), aiming to prevent it from using 536 musical works which the company claims to have acquired through Oriental Records and Echo Recording — the latter being embroiled in longstanding litigation with the composer.
Opposing the transfer, Sony Music’s counsel informed the bench that the suit had been instituted in Bombay at a time when there was no pending matter in the Madras High Court on the same issue. Taking note of the submission, the bench said, “The plea is dismissed.”
Ilaiyaraaja’s company IMMPL contended that 310 of the 536 musical works are already under judicial scrutiny in a separate case before the Madras High Court. That matter, filed by Ilaiyaraaja in 2014 against Echo Recording, questions the legitimacy of the latter’s claims over the composer’s creations and seeks enforcement of Ilaiyaraaja’s moral and economic rights under the Copyright Act.
That 2014 litigation resulted in a landmark 2019 judgment from the Madras High Court, affirming Ilaiyaraaja’s moral and special rights as a music composer.
Ilaiyaraaja, widely regarded as one of India’s greatest music maestros, has composed over 7,500 songs across more than 1,500 films during a career spanning five decades. The ongoing legal battles over his musical legacy continue to attract significant public and industry attention.
