Kolywood Kisukisu

This is not the first time that Ilaiyaraaja has talen the legal route to claming copyright on his songs. In 2014, the composer had in fact approached the Madras High Court, which ordered an injunction against five music companies from selling his compositions without his permission. Ilaiyaraaja had also warned radio stations and television channels against using his compositions without his permission.

"Only I hold the rights on my songs. The agreements that I signed earlier will stand for only five years. Unless they have renewed the agreements, they stand void,” he said, according to The New Indian Express. He added that the royalty amount from his songs would be shared with the producer, singers, and lyricists of the film.

The issue of copyright and royalties for composers and singers has been a longstanding one in the Tamil film industry. There are murmurs of discontent now against channels and show organisers using the compositions for profits without the permission of either the composers or the singers. But even before Ilaiyaraaja raised the issue, singer Yesudas had taken exception to royalties not being paid to composers and lyricists.

“Why can't a television channel pay just 25 paise each to the composer and the lyricist of a song when they use it for their shows? There are composers and lyricists who badly need some financial support,” Yesudas told The Hindu back in 2011.

"Rather than waiting for the government to bring in a law, I feel the television channels and others who use the songs should initiate a process to offer royalty,” he had said.

 

It's a loss for audience.. There are many MSV -SPB songs.. Now those songs will become popular..
IR talks about God so much. Did thiruvasagam and all... What's the point in doing it when you don't actually practice a pinch of it!!

 

Actually, I partly agree with the stand that IR had taken. As the composer of the songs, it is only right that he be given the royalty when others are performing his songs elsewhere. That is what intellectual property is all about anyway. That we recognize the original composers and give them the due credit. In overseas, singers are not allowed to even sing a single verse without prior permission from the original composers. Unfortunately, that's not the practice here (although the law regarding IP is very clear).

What I don't agree with IR is the manner in which he had exercised his rights. Having longtime friendship with SPB, and with the latter being a huge factor in the success of IR's songs, I felt that IR should have just approached SPB and sort out this whole issue amicably. Sending a legal notice is totally unwarranted, especially when SPB (being the singer of the songs) was never given royalty for his contributions to the songs. The least IR could have done is to give SPB the levy in performing his numbers. Just my two cents

 

Dear,

Hez claiming this for so long as he was badly cheated by one music company. Hez also telling that he doesn't need more money just whatever they could offer. Also he has told if they couldn't give money also np, just to inform him before using his songs. That all can do I guess. Also, this money hez using for a trust of him....

 

Exactly. It is not the matter itself, but the manner in which the matter was delivered that I can't agree with. Their camaraderie is well-known. And SPB50 tour has been happening for a year now, why couldn't the issue have been taken up before? I think that is what everyone is taking issue with!

 

Thanks sof and shrivni for enlightening me. I am a lover of IR-SPB-SJ combo. So was talking and still thinking like their fan who is denied of the joy of listening to them..
His step in this issue is surely something unacceptable, considering the friendship between IR-SPB and their kids Charan-Yuvan.. He could've done this in an amicable way... Hope it doesn't damage their relationship completely.. It takes a longtime to build something but we can destroy it in no time...

 

Anu, I completely understand you. I too love IR-SPB-SJ combo and yes, IR's decision to send the legal notice did disappoint me as well. Nevertheless, I can't find any fault in him from the legal point of view. He was right when he said that singers should seek his permission before singing his songs. Furthermore the issue about IR fighting for rights of his compositions had been going on for more than 2 years, what with his court cases etc. In that sense, SPB's argument that he was ignorant of the need to seek prior permission from IR is also unbelievable. Being in the music fraternity, how is it possible for SPB not to know a music composer's rights especially when he had watched IR's fights for his rights in close range?

Yes, the issue could have tackled in a better way by IR. A simple call to SPB could have solved the whole problem. But then again, the argument holds true against SPB as well. Had he made a simple call to IR seeking permission to perform his songs, none of these problems would have occurred in the first place.

 

what Raja did is right and most of us are upset for serving a notice to SPB.

SPB and his son have sold out US and other world tour shows and made a killing in US $.

SPB himself sat on a fast fighting for his share of Intellectual Rights as a singer.

Raja uses this money for charity and donates to a few film associations in trouble.

SPB is well aware of the IR but had no generosity to give back a share to the creator or at least had the courtesy to seek permission or inform.

All these years they were making money coolly and now it pains to share when the creator objects.

Raja or any IR holder does not monitor personally - there are companies/lawyers which/who take care of these as in celebrity ad-media income and they take a share of the income. Hence they are vigilant.

Having been super hit combo SPB could have gone over the phone to Raja instead of raking in media attention and sympathy.

Raja also must share the income to those who were part of the making and he does. But coming to keerthanaaas and other compositions, not sure how they do it. If he doesn't time he does.

 

Well said Google Glass...

And the notice sent by that committee says that, it is illegal to use Ilayaraja Sir's songs without his permission and it myt lead to royalty case...thatz it....

SPB itha ivlo perusu Aki iruka vendam....it is just like a FYI message in the notice...