CHENNAI: Six film producers have moved the Madras High Court to declare producers as the absolute owners of the the copyrights of the films, including the rights over the songs composed by well- known music director Ilayaraja.
In their civil suits, they contended that Ilayaraja cannot assert that he is the owner of the copyright of the songs contained in their films. He had participated as a music director on a fixed remuneration, they pointed out.
It is the producer, who after fixing the director, engages the artists and technicians, including the music director, on his advice.
In the cinema industry, neither the technicians, nor the artists or the music directors, claimed copyright over their performances.
They had performed in the course of their employment for a fixed remuneration and the producer is always the first owner of the copyright over the said film, including all rights contained therein. This was the trade practice in the Indian cinema Industry over the past 80 years, the plaintiffs claimed.
However, during the last few years, Ilayaraja has been claiming that he is the owner of the copyright of the songs scored by him in the films where he has participated as the music director.
If this action of Ilayaraja is allowed to be continued, then the hero of the film would claim ownership of the copyright in respect of the scenes he had acted.
Other artists and technicians would also follow suit, they pointed out.