Music maestro Ilaiyaraaja was very strong in protecting the ownership of his compositions, and this led to many legal battles due to the unauthorized use of his songs. The veteran composer never accepted that his compositions could be used without his permission, regardless of business. The composer, Ilaiyaraaja, who has been fighting this legal battle for a long time, won a major court battle when the Madras High Court decided in his favor in a copyright case regarding the movie ‘Happy Raj.’
The High Court ruled in favor of Ilaiyaraaja
The latest case was filed after Ilaiyaraaja alleged that his iconic song ‘Pothuvaaga En Manasu Thangam’ from Rajinikanth starrer ‘Murattu Kaalai’ was used in GV Prakash Kumar’s film ‘Happy Raj’ without getting his permission. After hearing the matter, the Madras High Court restrained the makers from using the song in the film, as reported by Polimer. The order comes almost three months after ‘Happy Raj’ was released in theaters on March 27, making it a significant legal development even though the film has already completed its theatrical run. The verdict, another victory for Ilaiyaraaja in his fight against copyright infringement of his musical creations, conveys a definite message that due respect must be given to the creator.
‘Happy Raj’ has a strong ensemble cast
Directed by debutant Maria Raja Elanchezian, ‘Happy Raj’ stars GV Prakash Kumar with Sri Gouri Priya. The movie also marks the comeback of actor Abbas after a long hiatus from cinema. The supporting cast includes George Maryan, Geetha Kailasam, Prarthana, Madurai Muthu, Adhirchi Arun, Devi Mahesh, and others. The film was well received by audiences upon its release, and GV Prakash and team traveled across Tamil Nadu to thank fans during the film’s successful theatrical run.
An emotional story about love and acceptance
‘Happy Raj’ is the journey of a young man, Anandraj, called Happy Raj (GV Prakash), who fights loneliness due to the social stigma attached to his family. He moved to Bengaluru for a fresh start. There he meets Kavya (Sri Gouri Priya) and slowly falls in love. The film mixes romance with emotional drama, exploring themes of identity, dignity and acceptance. The court ruling once again brought to the fore the issue surrounding the use of Ilaiyaraaja’s popular song, adding another chapter to the composer’s copyright war, even as the audience welcomed the ‘Happy Raj’ recently.
