Renowned composer Ilaiyaraaja has received compensation from the makers of the Malayalam film Manjummel Boys for the unauthorized usage of his song "Kanmani Anbodu" from the 1991 film Guna. The film's team paid Rs 60 lakh after discussions, following Ilaiyaraaja's demand for Rs 2 crore considering the film's success. The song was featured prominently in Manjummel Boys, earning widespread appreciation.
Ilaiyaraaja had sent a legal notice to the film's makers, stating that he holds absolute rights over his original musical works and that the song's usage without his permission was a violation of the Copyrights Act 1957. Despite the film's creators acknowledging Ilaiyaraaja's rights in the title cards, the notice emphasized that permission and royalty payment were necessary for commercial use.
This incident marks the latest example of Ilaiyaraaja's efforts to protect his intellectual property rights. Previously, he had sent a copyright notice to the makers of Rajinikanth's film Coolie for using his music without approval.
The compensation payment by the Manjummel Boys team sets a precedent for respecting composers' rights and obtaining necessary permissions for song usage in films. Ilaiyaraaja's actions underscore the importance of protecting intellectual property rights in the music industry.