Ilayaraja’s Copyright Dispute Rocks Lokesh Kanagaraj’s ‘Coolie’

Ilayaraja has taken swift legal action against the producers of 'Coolie' for the unauthorized use of his music in the teaser

By
Hari P N
- May 2, 2024 | 2:59 PM IST
• Follow Us
• Join Us

Ilayaraja has taken swift legal action against the producers of ‘Coolie’ for the unauthorized use of his music in the teaser. Directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj and featuring Rajinikanth, ‘Coolie’ showcased a recreation of Ilayaraja’s song ‘Va va pakkam va’ from ‘Thanga Magan’ from 1983, not the 2015 ‘Thanga Magan,’ which has music composed by Anirudh Ravichander. This move has stirred controversy, with Ilayaraja determined to protect his copyrights.

According to reports, the notice highlighted the absence of formal permission from Ilaiyaraaja, the original owner of the song ‘Va Va Pakkam Va,’ and its music used in the teaser. This act is deemed a violation under the Copyright Act of 1957. The complaint explicitly targets director Lokesh Kanagaraj, alleging habitual involvement in such infringements. Previously, Kanagaraj should have sought permission for the song ‘Vikram Vikram’ in Vikram. Similarly, the music of the song ‘En Jodi Manja Kuruvi’ from Kanagaraj’s production ‘Fight Club’ is also claimed to have been reproduced without consent.

In April, Sun Pictures unveiled a title reveal promotional material for the film coolie helmed by Lokesh Kanagaraj. Within this promotional material were several acknowledgments paying homage to the renowned figure Rajinikanth, one of which involved a reimagined rendition of a seminal track from his 1983 movie Thangamagan.

View Quiz

Ilaiyaraaja put his foot down and gave the producers of Coolie an ultimatum: either they secure proper authorization for the song ‘Vaa Vaa Pakkam Vaa’ or they scrap it from the movie teaser altogether. The notice sternly warned that failure to comply with these terms would result in ‘serious legal repercussions’ for the producers.

There are two films titled ‘Thanga Magan’ – one from 1983, directed by A. Jagannathan and starring Rajinikanth and Poornima with music by Ilaiyaraaja, and the other from 2015, directed by Velraj and starring Dhanush, Samantha, and Amy Jackson, with music by Anirudh Ravichander. It could be more apparent if these films have anything in common besides the title. Additionally, both ‘Thanga Magan (2015)’ and Lokesh Kanagaraj’s new film ‘Coolie’ share the same music composer, Anirudh Ravichander.

Must Read: Ajith Kumar At The Indian Box Office: Viswasam’s 137 Crores Tops The List Of Top 5 Highest Net Grossers Of Thala Ajith

Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube | Google News