Ilaiyaraaja. File | Photo credit: SR Raghunathan
Sony Music Entertainment India Private Limited on Wednesday (Oct 22, 2025) refused to share the statement of accounts with musician R. Ilaiyaraaja regarding the income it received from the “commercial use” of songs he had composed for certain films in the past.
Before Justice N. Senthilkumar of the Madras High Court, senior counsel Vijay Narayan said his client had brought the statement of accounts to the court in a sealed cover and was ready to produce it before the court to read it himself.
He refused to hand over a copy of the statement of accounts to the lawyer representing the musician and demanded confidentiality with regard to commercial information related to the revenue received from platforms such as Apple Music, Amazon Music, Spotify and so on.
The senior lawyer said that the musician will not be entitled to such commercial information unless he can prove his legal right to the songs he has composed for various films after receiving due remuneration from the film producers.
On the other hand, senior counsel S. Prabakaran, appearing on behalf of Mr. Ilaiyaraaj, told the judge that the Supreme Court had repeatedly rejected the practice of submitting information in sealed envelopes. He insisted that Sony Music must be ordered to disclose the details.
After hearing both sides, Justice Senthilkumar decided not to open the sealed cover as Mr Narayan also informed him that Sony Music had approached the Supreme Court last week seeking transfer of the suit filed by Mr Ilaiyarajaa from the Madras High Court to the Bombay High Court.
A senior lawyer said the music company had filed a civil suit in the Bombay High Court in 2021 for declaring it the copyright holder of songs composed by Mr Ilaiyaraaja for certain films and preventing him from claiming any commercial rights over them.
After four long years since the filing of this suit, the musician has filed this suit in the Madras High Court seeking precisely reversed prayers. Therefore, Sony Music has decided to approach the Supreme Court to transfer this suit to the Bombay High Court, he added.
Mr. Narayan also said that a bench comprising Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandran of the Supreme Court ordered notice to Mr. Ilaiyaraaja regarding the transfer application on October 15, 2025 and the next hearing on the transfer application is likely to take place on November 26.
Although the Supreme Court did not stay the proceedings before the Madras High Court but only ordered a notice to the musician, Justice Senthilkumar said it was the custom of the High Courts to keep their hands off the case until the Supreme Court called for a transfer application.
Therefore, he directed the Madras High Court Registry to list another plea of Mr. Ilaiyaraaj on November 27 to ascertain the developments in the Supreme Court. He also decided not to open the sealed cover containing the statement of accounts submitted by Mr. Narayan.
The judge called for comments during the previous hearing of the lawsuit on September 26.
Published – 22 Oct 2025 16:43 IST
