Ilaiyaraaja Wins Court Case: ‘Karutta Macchan’ Must Be Removed from Dude

Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India: A judge at the Madras High Court, N. Senthil Kumar, has instructed the makers of the film Dude to take out the song Karutta Macchan from their movie. The court found that the song could harm the legacy of the legendary composer Ilaiyaraaja’s earlier works.

According to details presented in court, the film used Ilaiyaraaja’s older songs, Karutha Macchan and Nooru Varusham, without obtaining proper authorization. Ilaiyaraaja had approached the court requesting immediate removal of the song from the movie.

During the hearing, Sony’s legal counsel argued that the production company had acquired the necessary rights and permissions to use the songs, and requested a seven-day period to remove the content. The judge denied this request, instructing the company to submit a formal writ petition, and scheduled the next hearing for January 7.