The Madras High Court issued an interim order on Friday to protect the personality rights of famous musician Ilaiyaraaja. This order prevents others from using his name, photos, or work without permission.
Justice N. Senthilkumar found that there was a valid case in favor of Ilaiyaraaja and granted temporary relief in the case he filed to protect his personality rights. The court has asked the respondents to submit their response.
Senior Advocate S. Prabakaran, representing Ilaiyaraaja, said that the lawsuit is aimed at stopping identity theft and public misrepresentation. He stated that several media outlets and YouTube channels were using Ilaiyaraaja’s photos and name to earn money.
He explained that some channels even used his image to create AI-generated dance videos without approval. Prabakaran referred to recent Delhi High Court orders on protecting Raj Shamani’s personality rights and also mentioned earlier Madras High Court rulings that gave similar protection to actor Rajinikanth.
At this point, the judge asked how the use of Ilaiyaraaja’s name by third parties affects him.
Prabakaran responded that some channels used Ilaiyaraaja’s name and image to create memes, which he considered disrespectful. He submitted screenshots as evidence showing many unauthorized photos that were shared online, harming Ilaiyaraaja’s reputation.
After reviewing the arguments, the court decided to grant interim protection and recognized the personality rights of the legendary musician Ilaiyaraaja.