Supreme Court upholds Saregama's copyright claim over Ilaiyaraaja composition

The Supreme Court has rejected a plea by legendary music composer Ilaiyaraaja challenging Saregama's copyright claim over the sound recording of his compositions. The apex court refused to interfere with the Delhi High Court's earlier ruling that upheld the music label's ownership rights over the recording of 'En Iniya Pon Nilave', a classic Tamil song.

The case centres on the distinction between composition rights and sound recording rights in Indian copyright law. While Ilaiyaraaja retains rights as the composer and lyricist, the Delhi High Court had determined that Saregama holds legitimate copyright over the sound recording itself—the specific recorded version of the song.

This judgment reinforces established copyright principles whereby recording labels can hold distinct intellectual property rights over the fixed audio manifestation of a musical work, separate from a composer's rights in the underlying composition. The ruling has implications for how music copyright disputes are interpreted in India's legal framework.

The case represents a significant moment in India's music industry, as it clarifies ownership boundaries between composers and record labels in digital and physical music distribution. Saregama, one of India's oldest music companies, maintains extensive catalogues of classical and film compositions from multiple decades.