HC ON RAAJA'S RIGHT: REVENUE FROM ALL 4.5K SONGS SUBJECT TO APPEAL OUTCOME

THE Madras High Court on Wednesday passed an interim order stating that all revenue accrued through commercial exploitation of over 4,500 songs composed by music director Ilaiyaraaja would be subject to the outcome of an appeal filed by Echo Recording Private Limited challenging his rights over the songs.

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A division bench of Justice R Mahadevan and Justice Mohammed Shaffiq passed the interim order while adjourning the appeal filed by the company to June. On the argument of Ilaiyaraaja's counsel that the composer would continue to hold the rights over his songs, the court wondered if the composer could claim rights over the lyrics of the songs too since they were penned by others or restrict his claim only to the composition.