Ilaiyaraaja settles copyright dispute with Mythri Movie Makers for ₹50L
Music legend Ilaiyaraaja and Mythri Movie Makers have finally resolved their clash over the use of five of his classic songs in the films Good Bad Ugly and Dude.
On December 3, 2025, they settled things with a ₹50 lakh payment to Ilaiyaraaja, closing out two court cases and months of legal back-and-forth.
What's in the deal?
Mythri can keep two Ilaiyaraaja tracks in Dude's OTT release, but three songs from Good Bad Ugly are now off-limits for future use.
The settlement covers any song usage before a court order stopped it.
As part of moving forward, Ilaiyaraaja will also make a public statement about this agreement.
Why does it matter?
This isn't just about old hits—this case changes how music rights work in India.
It makes clear that even if filmmakers own music labels, they still need direct approval from composers like Ilaiyaraaja before reusing songs.
For anyone who cares about creative rights or makes content themselves, this is a big shift.