Ilayaraja mulls royalty share with musicians’ guild

Music maestro Ilayaraja, who has many firsts to his credit, has resolved to pay his share of   the royalty to the South Indian Cine Musicians Association based in Chennai. “No other composer has done it till date. But Ilayaraja has made an agreement with the Cine Musicians Association in which he would be receiving 80% of the royalty amount collected, while 20% would go for musicians guild and it’s welfare activities,” says a source from Chennai. 

Given that, the South Indian Cine Musicians Association will be looking after my royalty issues of the legendary composer as he has walked out of Intellectual Property Rights Society. In a video released few days ago, the top-notch composer said “If you wish to sing and perform my songs on stage without prior intimation, you are liable for legal action. This also includes people who play my music in instruments. And you all have to realise this is wrong. The royalty fee would go to the Cine Musicians Union.”'

He goes on to add, “Please understand that I’m not stopping you from singing. You are paying royalty for the money you earn and not for my song. If you’re singing my songs for free, then you won’t have to pay me. But, if you are earning money by singing my songs, what is wrong in me asking a share of it? When the song itself is mine, how can you deny my share? After all, it is a small amount and I do all these to legalise things,” said Ilayaraja. It may be recalled that the copyright dispute originally broke out between Ilayaraja and ace singer SP Balasubramaniam when the latter received a notice from the composer demanding royalties for performing his compositions during  his foreign tour last year.