Malayalam film team uses Guna song, gets notice from Raja
CHENNAI: Music composer Ilaiyaraaja sent a legal notice to makers of recently released Malayalam film ‘Manjummel Boys’ alleging exploitation of his work without obtaining permission.
The legal notice stated that the music composer was shocked when he came to know that the makers of ‘Manjummel Boys’ had unlawfully exploited the song ‘Kanmani Anbodu
Kaadhalan’ originally composed by him for the movie ‘Guna’ released in 1991 without obtaining any permission.
Ilaiyaraaja claimed that he is the original composer of the song and stated that it is a well-settled position of law that the Copyright Act, 1957, protects and guarantees the rights of the author or musical composer/producer and does not permit the unauthorised, improper, and unintended usage of any of the original musical work, said the notice. Any usage or reusage of the musical work or an altered, modified, and adapted version thereof in any form by any third party, can only be upon obtaining the consent or permission of and payment of consideration to the author and first owner of the work, the notice read.
Ilaiyaraaja said that despite being the original owner of the song ‘Kanmani Anbodu Kaadhalan’, without getting proper permission, the makers of ‘Manjummel Boys’ are using his work as promotional material for the film on various platforms to commercially enrich themselves and attract viewership and publicity through improper means.
The notice also demanded to removal of the musical work from the film and the promotional activities and also demanded compensation for the unauthorised usage of the song within 15 days.
If the makers fail to fulfill the demand, appropriate legal action will be taken for willfully violating and infringing or abetting infringement, said the notice.