Rajinikanth's 'Coolie' Hits Snag: Ilayaraja Shocks Makers with Copyright Claim

In a surprising turn of events in Kollywood, music maestro Ilayaraja has reportedly filed a lawsuit against the makers of superstar Rajinikanth's upcoming film "Coolie". This legal action comes shortly after the release of the film's title teaser, which has been warmly received by fans. However, it seems that the teaser's musical score has stirred up some unexpected controversy.

According to reports, the controversy centers around a specific tune used in the teaser which closely resembles the melody from the song "Va Va Pakkam Vaa" from Rajinikanth’s 1983 hit film "Thanga Magan", originally composed by Ilayaraja. The legendary composer claims that his music was used without his permission, raising issues of copyright infringement.

Interestingly, Rajinikanth also starred in "Thanga Magan", adding a layer of nostalgia to the current dispute. It is known that Lokesh Kanagaraj, the director of "Coolie", has a penchant for incorporating old film songs into his soundtracks. His past films have also featured such homages, possibly with proper clearances. However, it seems this time, there might have been an oversight.

This isn't the first time that tunes composed by Ilayaraja have made their way into new productions. His work has been cited in numerous other films including "Fight Club" and the title track of "Vikram". It remains to be seen how the makers of "Coolie" will respond to this legal challenge. The outcome could set a significant precedent for how vintage compositions are treated in contemporary cinema.