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Ilayaraja has taken swift legal action against the producers of ‘Coolie’ for the unauthorized use of his music in the teaser. Directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj and featuring Rajinikanth, ‘Coolie’ showcased a recreation of Ilayaraja’s song ‘Va va pakkam va’ from ‘Thanga Magan’ from 1983, not the 2015 ‘Thanga Magan,’ which has music composed by Anirudh Ravichander. This move has stirred controversy, with Ilayaraja determined to protect his copyrights.
According to reports, the notice highlighted the absence of formal permission from Ilaiyaraaja, the original owner of the song ‘Va Va Pakkam Va,’ and its music used in the teaser. This act is deemed a violation under the Copyright Act of 1957. The complaint explicitly targets director Lokesh Kanagaraj, alleging habitual involvement in such infringements. Previously, Kanagaraj should have sought permission for the song ‘Vikram Vikram’ in Vikram. Similarly, the music of the song ‘En Jodi Manja Kuruvi’ from Kanagaraj’s production ‘Fight Club’ is also claimed to have been reproduced without consent.
In April, Sun Pictures unveiled a title reveal promotional material for the film coolie helmed by Lokesh Kanagaraj. Within this promotional material were several acknowledgments paying homage to the renowned figure Rajinikanth, one of which involved a reimagined rendition of a seminal track from his 1983 movie Thangamagan.
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