CHENNAI: Echo Recording on Thursday informed the Madras high court that music director Ilaiyaraaja cannot claim right over his film compositions as he had not entered into any such contract with his producers.
“Unlike AR Rahman, who owns copyright of his compositions, Ilaiyaraja had not retained the rights of his songs composed between 1970 and 1990,” the recording company said.
The submissions were made on an appeal moved by the company claiming rights over 4,500 songs composed by Ilaiyaraaja.
“The producer, who paid remuneration to the music director, holds the right over the compositions. We have bought the rights of the 4,500 songs from such copyright-holders,” senior advocate Vijay Narayan, representing Echo, said.
Recording the submissions, the first bench of Acting Chief Justice R Mahadevan and Justice Mohammed Shaffiq posted the appeal to Jun 19 for further hearing.
On April 24, the bench made it clear that commercial exploitation of the 4,500 songs composed by Ilaiyaraaja would be subject to the outcome of an appeal challenging his right over the songs.
The court had observed that the songs would not carry much value without the lyrics and wondered whether Ilaiyaraaja would restrict his claim over the music composition only.
According to Eco Recording, the single judge had permitted Ilayaraaja to exploit the rights over his songs though such a right had not been provided under the Copyrights Act.
In India, music directors would lose their right over the songs once they receive remuneration for their work from the producer of the film. They can receive royalty but cannot claim exclusive rights over their compositions, the company said.
The company had purchased the rights to more than 4,500 songs from the producers of the movies and had been commercially exploiting them till 2014 when the music director moved the high court against the company, it added.
Utilising the single judge order, Ilayaraaja has given licence to another music company for the 4,500 songs. Now, he is receiving royalties from both Eco Recording and the other company, counsel for the company alleged.
“Unlike AR Rahman, who owns copyright of his compositions, Ilaiyaraja had not retained the rights of his songs composed between 1970 and 1990,” the recording company said.
The submissions were made on an appeal moved by the company claiming rights over 4,500 songs composed by Ilaiyaraaja.
“The producer, who paid remuneration to the music director, holds the right over the compositions. We have bought the rights of the 4,500 songs from such copyright-holders,” senior advocate Vijay Narayan, representing Echo, said.
Recording the submissions, the first bench of Acting Chief Justice R Mahadevan and Justice Mohammed Shaffiq posted the appeal to Jun 19 for further hearing.
On April 24, the bench made it clear that commercial exploitation of the 4,500 songs composed by Ilaiyaraaja would be subject to the outcome of an appeal challenging his right over the songs.
The court had observed that the songs would not carry much value without the lyrics and wondered whether Ilaiyaraaja would restrict his claim over the music composition only.
According to Eco Recording, the single judge had permitted Ilayaraaja to exploit the rights over his songs though such a right had not been provided under the Copyrights Act.
In India, music directors would lose their right over the songs once they receive remuneration for their work from the producer of the film. They can receive royalty but cannot claim exclusive rights over their compositions, the company said.
The company had purchased the rights to more than 4,500 songs from the producers of the movies and had been commercially exploiting them till 2014 when the music director moved the high court against the company, it added.
Utilising the single judge order, Ilayaraaja has given licence to another music company for the 4,500 songs. Now, he is receiving royalties from both Eco Recording and the other company, counsel for the company alleged.
