Ilaiyaraaja has a 4000-plus song repertoire, and is in the midst of many legal battles for their ownership. The most recent and ongoing dispute is with Saregama. What started as a single-track tiff has now become about a 134 film song catalogue, ownership conflict, unauthorised licensing, and the nuance of the Copyright Act of 1957, which defines the producer of a film as the first owner of the sound recordings… unless signed otherwise.
Here’s a timeline of what went down between the two parties (and others that were roped in), and what’s to come next.
March 2023: Ilaiyaraaja grants rights to VFIL create an adaptation of “En Iniya Pon Nilave”
On March 17, Ilaiyaraaja granted the right to Vels Film International (VFIL) to recreate “En Iniya Pon Nilave,” his song from the 1980 film Moodu Pani, for their new film Aghathiyaa. According to him, he owned the underlying composition and lyrics, even if the film producer owns the sound recording (as per the Copyright Act, 1957).
January 2025: Saregama objects to Ilaiyaraaja granting adaptation rights to VFIL
Saregama said the rights to “En Iniya Pon Nilave” were assigned to them in an agreement dated 25 February 1980, where the makers of Moodu Pani gave the label ownership over sound recordings, composition and lyrics.
January 2025: Saregama wins copyright case against VFIL
Saregama filed a copyright infringement case against VFIL in the Delhi High Court. Aghathiyaa was due to release on 31 January, 2025, and The Single Judge Bench restrained VFIL from using the disputed recreated song.
December 2025: Saregama wins copyright case against Black Madras Films
Saregama filed a similar case against Black Madras Films (BMF) over the film Mask (2025). The film uses Ilaiyaraaja’s song “Naguva Nayana” from Pallavi Anu Pallavi (1980). BMF said it had a licence from Ilaiyaraaja. Saregama said the licence was not valid, since a 27 December 1980 assignment agreement between the film’s producer and the label meant all rights were with Saregama.
On December 9, the Delhi High Court ruled in favour of Saregama. Mask had already been released in theatres, so the court allowed an OTT release if BMF either removed the song or deposited ₹30 lakh with the court registrar.
February 2026: Saregama moves to protect works from 134 films
Saregama said it found its songs surfacing online across streaming platforms, and that Ilaiyaraaja made ownership claims over those tracks. They filed a suit to restrain him from claiming ownership or commercially exploiting his works in 134 films over which Saregama held the rights.
February 2026: Ilaiyaraaja’s rights over 134 films’ songs are frozen
On February 13, Justice Gedela of Delhi High Court passed an ex parte ad-interim injunction against Ilaiyaraaja – a temporary ban on him exploiting, licensing or claiming ownership on any songs from the 134 films. The Court heard Saregama’s side, and found that if this restriction wasn’t imposed, the label would face irrecoverable losses.
May 2026: Ilaiyaraaja appeals against Saregama’s January win in Delhi High Court, is dismissed
On May 21, Ilaiyaraaja’s appeal against the Single Judge Order that affirmed Saregama’s rights over “En Iniya Pon Nilave” was dismissed. His independent copyright was maintained only for the composition, not the lyrics or the original sound recording, making his deal with VFIL to adapt the work null and void.
June-July 2026: Ilaiyaraaja sues Beyond Pictures over Happy Raj song & wins
Ilaiyaraaja sued Beyond Pictures, the makers of the film Happy Raj, for using and altering “Podhuvaga Emmanasu Thangam” from Murattukkaalai (1980) without his permission. On July 6, the Madras High Court ruled in the composer’s favour and passed a temporary judgement to stop Beyond Pictures from using the song until further orders.
July 2026: Saregama has the Madras High Court judgement cancelled
Saregama informed the Madras High Court of Ilaiyaraaja’s frozen rights over the 134 film song catalogue, and the order restricting Beyond Pictures from using “Podhuvaga Emmanasu Thangam” from Murattukkaalai (1980) was set aside.
July 2026: Ilaiyaraaja asks Delhi High Court to unfreeze ownership rights, is dismissed
On July 1, Ilaiyaraaja asked the Delhi High Court to lift the interim injunction – the temporary restriction on his song ownership rights – and was dismissed. The restriction remains.
September, 2026: Saregama seeks contempt against Ilaiyaraaja
On September 10, Saregama said to Delhi High Court that the composer violated the court’s temporary restriction by suing Beyond Pictures over a song he had no rights over and was continuing to exploit the disputed songs on streaming platforms, despite the injunction. The label asked for his detention in civil prison and for his property to be seized.
October, 2026: Ilaiyaraaja appeals to Supreme Court against Saregama’s January win
On October 1, the Supreme Court refused to interfere with the Delhi High Court’s proceedings in the matter of the “En Iniya Pon Nilave” song’s ownership. However, the final judgement, which will lay the matter to rest, is still awaited. Ilaiyaraaja is free to appeal to the Supreme Court, with the potential of the Delhi Court’s findings being proven false upon inspection, and not as a fixed precedent for the case.
Present: A full trial between the two is awaited, and contempt proceedings are yet to be heard as well.
