Feb 17, 2026 12:08pm IST
Ilaiyaraaja Restrained From Using Any Music That Belongs To Saregama Rules Delhi High Court
The Delhi High Court has given a decision in favor of music label Saregama restraining veteran music composer Ilaiyaraaja from using musical works whose rights lie with the company. On Feb. 13, 2026 Justice Tushar Rao Gedela said Saregama will suffer immense losses if Ilaiyaraaja is not stopped from using the sound or music recordings. This includes music from 134 films.
The Court in its order said, “Defendant [Ilaiyaraaja], its partners or proprietors, licensees, assigns, officers, servants, agents, representatives, contractors, sister concerns and any other person working for and on behalf of the defendant are restrained from exploiting/ using/ issuing licenses for the plaintiff’s Copyrighted Works i.e. the sound recordings and literary and musical works forming a part of the said Cinematograph Films enlisted in Annexure A appended to this Order or making any claim of ownership to the third parties or issuing any license for exploitation in relation to the plaintiff’s Copyrighted Works.”
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The music label, Saregama and the much-acclaimed composer are engaged in a copyright battle over the popular film song, “En Iniya Pon Nilave,” which was from the film, Moodu Pani (1980). It is sung by KJ Yesudas with music composed by Ilaiyaraaja. Even in this matter, the High Court had ruled in favor of Saregama.
Saregama was the label of choice for many movie producers between 1976 to 2001. They said that under the agreement signed with the makers, the copyright in the sound recordings as well as the musical and literary works belong to them. They filed a suit against Ilaiyaraaja for uploading those works on several digital streaming platforms like Amazon Music, iTunes and JioSaavn. They said they were the sole owners of those songs and what he did was against the laws.
He had issued a legal notice against Saregama claiming his rights over the music composed for many films, some of which are part of the present dispute between the parties. The music label in its plea argued that under the Copyright Act of 1957, and the Supreme Court’s orders, a film producer is the first owner of copyright in works commissioned for a cinematograph movie. They said this is the rule in all cases. With the prima facie evidence, Justice Gedela passed the interim order in favor of Sa Re Ga Ma. The music label was represented in Delhi High Court by Senior Advocate Chander M Lall with advocates Ankur Sangal, Ankit Arvind, Shashwat Rakshit, Rishabh Rao and Annanya Mehan.
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