Vanitha Responds to Ilaiyaraaja Lawsuit, Hearing August 1

Vanitha Vijayakumar’s film Mrs & Mr has landed in legal trouble after music legend Ilaiyaraaja filed a lawsuit for unauthorized use of his song Shivarathri Thookam Pochu from the classic film Michael Madana Kamarajan. The song appears in a scene featuring actress Kiran, with music composed by Srikanth Deva.

The film, directed by and starring Vanitha, was released on July 11 and produced by her daughter, Jovika Vijayakumar. It features Robert, Sriman, Shakeela, Power Star Srinivasan, and others.

Ilaiyaraaja claims the song was used without his permission, prompting him to approach the Madras High Court. Vanitha, in response, said she had legally purchased the rights through Sony Music, which owns thousands of Ilaiyaraaja’s compositions. The court has now included Sony Music in the case, with the next hearing scheduled for August 18.

Vanitha expressed her disappointment, saying, I bought the song properly through Sony Music. I even added a thank-you card for Ilaiyaraaja in the film. If he had simply called me, I would’ve removed it immediately. He’s like a father figure—I grew up in his house. But filing a case without a conversation really hurt.

She added that the thank-you card has now been removed from the YouTube version of the film. It’s painful to be dragged into court like this, she said. Respect works both ways. If there was an issue, a simple phone call would’ve been enough.

The controversy has sparked debate over music rights, credit, and communication within the industry.