Ilaiyaraaja Sends Legal Notice to Rajinikanth's Coolie Makers-Here's Why

Renowned composer Ilaiyaraaja has sent a legal notice to Sun Pictures, the producers of Lokesh Kanagaraj's upcoming Rajinikanth starrer 'Coolie', alleging unauthorized use of his song from the 1983 film 'Thanga Magan'.

According to the notice, a segment from the song "Vaa Vaa Pakkam Vaa" has been used without Ilaiyaraaja's permission in the announcement video for 'Coolie'. The composer claims he was not paid royalties for the song's usage.

The legal notice reportedly raises objections to director Lokesh Kanagaraj's "history of unauthorized exploitation" of Ilaiyaraaja's works, citing the films 'Vikram' (2022) and 'Fight Club' (2023) as examples where the director allegedly used the composer's songs without consent or payment. Ilaiyaraaja's notice alleges that the "Disco, Disco" segment from "Vaa Vaa Pakkam Vaa" has been utilized in a "distorted version" without proper authorization in 'Coolie'.

Furthermore, the notice states that Ilaiyaraaja has not authorized any person or entity, including Sony or IPRS, to permit the use of his works. The legal notice claims that the composer collects royalties directly. The 'Coolie' announcement video featured a reboot of Ilaiyaraaja's song, composed by Anirudh Ravichander, who also worked on the film 'Vikram'.

While 'Coolie' may be connected to Lokesh Kanagaraj's previous films like 'Kaithi', 'Vikram', and 'Leo' as part of the LCU (Lokesh Cinematic Universe), the legal notice raises uncertainty about the film's progress. It remains to be seen how the production will address the composer's allegations of unauthorized song usage and potential copyright infringement.

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