Ilaiyaraaja sends legal notice to Ajith’s ‘Good Bad Ugly’ team; seeks Rs 5 crore compensation

Veteran composer Ilaiyaraaja has taken legal action against the makers of Ajith Kumar’s latest film 'Good Bad Ugly', alleging unauthorized usage of his iconic songs. The film, directed by Adhik Ravichandran, was released on April 10 and features an ensemble cast including Trisha, Prasanna, Sunil, Arjun Das, and others. While G.V. Prakash Kumar composed the music for the film, it reportedly included several retro hits originally composed by Ilaiyaraaja.
Box office success overshadowed by legal storm
Despite the film receiving mixed reviews from critics and audiences, it has performed impressively at the box office, grossing over Rs 150 crore globally. Fans have celebrated Ajith's new makeover and performance, making the film a theatrical event. However, controversy has erupted with Ilaiyaraaja identifying the use of his compositions in the film without obtaining proper consent.
Iconic songs allegedly used without permission
Songs like "Otha Roobaiyum Thaarein" from Nattupura Paattu, "En Jodi Manjal Kurivi" from Vikram, and "Ilamai Idho Idho" from Sakala Kala Vallavan are said to have been reused in Good Bad Ugly. All these tracks were originally composed by Ilaiyaraaja, who now claims his rights were violated. According to News 18, through his legal team, Ilaiyaraaja has issued a notice demanding a compensation of Rs 5 crore from the 'Good Bad Ugly' production team for using the tracks without permission.
Composer demands apology from the 'Good Bad Ugly' team
The composer has further requested that the songs be removed from the film immediately. He also insists on a written apology within seven days, accepting the terms of his complaint. Additionally, he has objected to the remixing or rearranging of his original work in a way that alters its essence. Notably, Ilaiyaraaja had sent a similar notice last year to the 'Manjummel Boys' team for using his compositions without approval.
Makers react
Following the notice concerning the use of the songs in the film, producer Yalamanchili Ravi Shankar come forward to clarify the situation. Speaking to Hindustan Times, he addressed the concerns raised about the film's music rights and assured that the production team has adhered strictly to legal protocols.
Ravi Shankar explained that the filmmakers have obtained all necessary permissions from the music labels whose songs were featured in the movie. Since these labels hold the rights to the tracks, the team secured the required No Objection Certificates (NOCs) before including the songs in the film. He shared that everything was done “by the book,” following the proper procedures to avoid any copyright infringement.