The Madras High Court, on Friday, September 26, 2025, issued a directive to Sony Music Entertainment India Private Limited, ordering them to submit a comprehensive statement of accounts by October 22. This statement must detail all revenue generated from the commercial use of songs composed by the revered musician R. Ilaiyaraaja.
Justice N. Senthilkumar’s order stems from a fresh civil suit filed by Ilaiyaraaja against Sony Music, Echo Recording Company Private Limited, and Oriental Records, based in New Jersey. The legendary composer claims these entities have unlawfully profited from his musical works.
During the proceedings, senior counsel S. Prabakaran presented arguments for Ilaiyaraaja, while senior counsel Vijay Narayan represented Sony Music. In his sworn statement, Ilaiyaraaja highlighted his esteemed status as ‘Isaignani’ (musical genius) and a global maestro, underscoring his unique influence in the music world.
He asserted, “I am an eminent Indian creator, music composer, conductor, arranger, lyricist, and playback singer, whose multifaceted contributions have profoundly shaped Tamil, Indian, and global music landscapes. My career is distinguished by a prodigious and truly unparalleled body of work in global music history.”
The composer further stated that he has always maintained an autonomous approach to composing film songs throughout his career. “I singularly conceive, develop, and execute my compositions with full creative independence, without external interference or prescribed instructions,” he explained.
He emphasized that his collaborations with film producers and other creative partners have always been on a principal-to-principal basis, never as an employee or through a ‘work for hire’ agreement. He stressed, “I have consistently asserted and exercised my authorship and ownership over my original compositions.”
Ilaiyaraaja argued that Echo Recording’s license was strictly limited to selling his songs on audio tapes (cassettes) and compact discs (CDs). Therefore, Sony Music should not be permitted to exploit these compositions across other digital platforms, especially by claiming rights supposedly transferred from Echo Recording.
The composer also raised doubts about the legitimacy of documents indicating an assignment agreement between Echo Recording and Oriental Records, dated February 2, 2020. He noted that just twelve days later, on February 14, 2020, Sony Music reportedly entered a catalog acquisition agreement with Oriental, which he found suspicious.
Furthermore, Ilaiyaraaja accused Sony Music of distorting his original compositions through remastering and subsequently promoting these altered versions on social media and other digital channels. He contended that a composer retains moral rights over their work, making such unauthorized alterations unacceptable.
Conversely, Mr. Narayan informed Justice Senthilkumar that two similar cases regarding this matter are already ongoing – one before a Division Bench of the Madras High Court and another before the Bombay High Court. He added that the Bombay High Court hearing is in an advanced stage, with the next session scheduled for October 16.
The senior counsel highlighted that Ilaiyaraaja’s previous attempt to transfer Sony Music’s suit from the Bombay High Court to the Madras High Court had failed. He suggested that the composer’s current lawsuit, featuring identical requests, was a renewed effort after this setback.
Mr. Narayan requested additional time to submit a comprehensive counter affidavit in response to Ilaiyaraaja’s new case. The judge granted this request and instructed Sony Music to present the statement of accounts at the next hearing, set for October 22.