A day after the public spat between music composer Illayaraaja and singer S.P. Balasubrahmanyam’s on intellectual property rights, members of the industry ranged themselves on either side.
Music director and lyricist Gangai Amaran, who is Ilayaraaja’s brother, said that music as an art form should be rid of such boundaries. “While I am not aware of the legalities involved, I am greatly disappointed as a fan of their music. I don’t think it is fair that SPB be asked to pay royalty to perform songs that he has also contributed towards making popular,” he said.
Gangai Amaran further said that a friendship between two artists had now been affected and that it was unfair of Ilayaraaja to impose such restrictions on the singer.
“Now this means that so many other singers who continue to sing the composer’s songs on stage will have restrictions. Why must fans of his music be subject to such issues when they should be hearing his songs through the many singers who continue to perform them live?” he said.
VISAKHAPATNAM, ANDHRA PRADESH, 29/07/2016:Playback singer SP Balasubrahmanyam at the release of book 'Kavya Gandharvam' on lyrics in Telugu literature written by Rambhatla Nrusimha Sarma at the book release function organised by Santha Vasantha Trust of Hyderabad at Visakhapatnam Public Library in Viskahapatnam on Friday. ---Photo:C.V.Subrahmanyam
Balasubrahmanyam, meanwhile, updated his official page on Facebook stating that his concert at San Jose as a part of the SPB50 World Tour had gone off well. The concert was held a day after he announced that he had been served a legal notice along with other singers and organisers of the tour that he would face a penalty if he performed Ilayaraaja’s compositions.
Lyricist Madan Karky said on Facebook that while what the composer did with regard to law was right, he could have called the singer instead of sending a legal notice just because they were friends. Things could have been sorted out smoothly.
Performance rights
Explaining performance rights, Swaroop Mamidipudi, an advocate practising Copyright Law, said that the singers who record a song for the composer usually only have the rights to their performance in the studio when they sing the composition while recording it for the composer.
