In a surprising turn of events, legendary music composer Ilaiyaraaja has issued a legal notice to the makers of the Malayalam film Manjummel Boys for using his iconic song “Kanmani Anbodu” from the 1991 Tamil film Gunaa without proper authorization. This notice has been sent to producer-actor Soubin Shahir, Babu Shahir and Shawn Antony, underlining the ongoing challenges around intellectual property rights in the Indian film industry.
“Kanmani Anbodu”, originally sung by Kamal Haasan and S Janaki, holds a cherished place in Tamil cinema history. The move from Ilaiyaraaja has come as a shocker to many as Manjummel Boys brought in a lot of praise for the composer and Gunaa. The film made the song a hit among even the current generation, and hence, the legal notice has raised many eyebrows. Despite the acclaim, Ilaiyaraaja’s notice argues that the filmmakers did not secure the necessary permissions for its use.
Only recently, Ilaiyaraaja issued a legal notice to Sun Pictures against Rajinikanth’s Coolie for using his song Disco Disco from Thangamagan (1983) in the teaser of the upcoming film. He has earlier issued a similar notice against his dear friend, late SP Balasubrahmanyam, for using his songs in his concerts. Ilaiyaraaja’s actions have been a subject of debate for a long time now. With the new notice against Manjummel Boys, the debate has become more fierce online.
Manjummel Boys, directed by Chidambaram, has been a box-office hit, lauded for its compelling storyline and masterful direction. The film, which portrays a group of friends from Kochi who embark on a fateful trip to the Guna cave in Kodaikanal, intricately weaves Kanmani Anbodu into its narrative, making it a pivotal element of the story. This careful placement has been praised as a fitting tribute to the original film, with many fans expressing their admiration for how the song’s legacy has been honored.
The production team reportedly took steps to acquire the rights, although the current legal dispute suggests complications in this process.
Ilaiyaraaja’s notice has come at a time when Manjummel Boys makers are just letting out a sigh in another legal battle with one of the financiers of the film. A person named Siraj Hameed had filed a case against the film’s producers claiming that he wasn’t paid the agreed amount in return for his investment of Rs 7 crore in the film. Hameed filed criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, cheating, and forgery cases against the producers. However, the Kerala High Court has stayed the criminal proceedings against the Manjummel Boys’ producers after hearing the counsel of the filmmakers. It was held that Hameed would get his profit share only after all the transactions were settled regarding the film’s business as it has been only two months since its release.
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