Madras High Court restrains use of Ilaiyaraaja’s songs in ‘Good Bad Ugly’

The Madras High Court has restrained the makers of Ajith Kumar’s upcoming film Good Bad Ugly from using songs composed by legendary music director Ilaiyaraaja without proper authorization. The interim order was passed after Ilaiyaraaja moved the court, alleging copyright infringement and unauthorized usage of his works in the film’s promotional content.

Good Bad Ugly , directed by Adhik Ravichandran and produced by Mythri Movie Makers, is a high-octane action drama featuring Ajith Kumar in a stylish and rugged avatar. The film’s teaser, released recently, showcased Ajith in multiple shades of his character, sparking buzz among fans. The movie is being positioned as a pan-India release with Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, and Hindi versions.

Ajith Kumar, fondly called “Thala” by his fans, is one of Tamil cinema’s biggest stars, known for his blockbuster films such as Mankatha , Veeram , and Valimai . With Good Bad Ugly , he is reuniting with a younger generation director in an attempt to blend mass action with modern storytelling. The film marks his 63rd outing as a lead actor and is among the most anticipated Tamil films of 2025.

Ilaiyaraaja, who has been a towering figure in Indian music for over four decades, has been protective of his intellectual property rights and has often approached courts to prevent unauthorized usage of his compositions. The court’s order now bars the Good Bad Ugly team from using any of his songs unless proper licensing agreements are made.

The movie is currently in production, with high expectations riding on its unique title and Ajith’s stylish transformation. The verdict is not expected to delay its release but adds a fresh legal hurdle for the producers to resolve before the film hits theaters.