Madras High Court Restrains Good Bad Ugly Makers From Using Ilaiyaraaja's Songs In Ajith Kumar's Film

Ilaiyaraaja raised objections over the use of three of his classic tracks in Good Bad Ugly

08 Sep 2025, 15:03 · NDTV

The ongoing tussle between veteran composer Ilaiyaraaja and the makers of Good Bad Ugly has taken a legal turn. On Monday, the Madras High Court restrained the producers of the Ajith Kumar starrer from using three of Ilaiyaraaja's hit songs in the film, citing copyright concerns.

What's Happening

According to Live Law, Justice N Senthilkumar passed the temporary injunction on Monday after Ilaiyaraaja approached the court, alleging copyright infringement. The order prohibits the producers from exhibiting, screening, distributing, selling, publishing, or broadcasting Good Bad Ugly with the disputed songs on any platform, including OTT.
Ilaiyaraaja raised objections over the use of three of his classic tracks Otha Ruba Tharen (Naattu Purapaatu, 1996), Ilamai Idho Idho (Sakalakala Vallavan, 1982), and En Jodi Manja Kuruvi (Vikram, 1986), alleging that they were featured in modified form in Good Bad Ugly without his consent or royalty payment.
The court observed that the reply filed by Mythri Movie Makers regarding alleged authorisation was "bald" and lacking clarity on who had granted them rights.

Background

Good Bad Ugly, directed by Adhik Ravichandran and starring Ajith Kumar, Trisha Krishnan, and Arjun Das, released in April this year. While the film's main soundtrack was composed by GV Prakash Kumar, the inclusion of three Ilaiyaraaja compositions sparked legal trouble.

After the film's release, the veteran composer sent a legal notice to the producers, demanding that the songs be removed from the movie, along with Rs 5 crore in damages, a formal apology, and disclosure of the film's revenue records. Although Mythri Movie Makers maintained that they had secured the necessary rights, they did not furnish any evidence to support the claim, leading Ilaiyaraaja to move the court for relief.

The interim order now prevents the makers from further exploiting the disputed songs until the case is fully heard.

ALSO READ: Trisha Krishnan Slams Trolls In Cryptic Post After Good Bad Ugly Release: "Anonymous Cowardice"

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