Can't use my songs without getting rights from me, says veteran musician Ilayaraja

A day after securing a court order against five audio recording companies from making and selling his compositions, veteran musician Ilayaraja today said henceforth his consent was mandatory for using his works.

"The (Madras) High Court has ordered that my songs cannot be downloaded or sold through CDs or any other means. Henceforth, without getting the rights from me none should use my songs," he said.

The Madras High Court had made absolute the interim injunction on Tuesday granted by it against five audio recording companies from making and selling film music compositions of the music director violating his copyright.

Ilayaraja, 71, had filed a petition seeking to restrain Agi Music private Limited, Echo Recording Company Private Limited, Unisys Info Solutions Private Limited, Agi Music Sdn Bhd, Malaysia and Giri Trading Company, Mumbai, from manufacturing and selling, distributing or in any manner infringing his exclusive right under the Copyright Act-1957.

The veteran musician has composed music for about 4500 songs since 1970 in various languages, with many of them being chartbusters.