Madras High Court
Ilaiyaraaja Settles Dispute With Production Company After It Agrees To Pay Him ₹50 Lakh Over Usage Of Songs In Movies
Renowned musician Ilaiyaraaja has settles the civil suits he had initiated against Mythri Movie Makers, producers of the movies “Dude” and “Good Bad Ugly”, over the alleged unauthorised usage of his copyrighted works. Appearing before Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy, the parties informed the court that they had entered into negotiations and concluded a settlement. The parties also filed a joint memo of compromise, which was digitally signed by Ilaiyaraaja and representative of Mythri...
Madras High Court Refuses To Vacate Interim Order Restraining "Good Bad Ugly" Movie From Using Ilaiyaraaja's Songs
The Madras High Court has refused to vacate its interim order restraining the makers of Ajith starrer "Good Bad Ugly" movie from using three songs of renowned musician Ilaiyaraaja.Justice N Senthilkumar, on Wednesday, observed that Ilaiyaraaja is entitled to protect his work from distortion. The court thus dismissed the application filed by Mythri Movie Makers, producers of "Good Bad Ugly", seeking to vacate the interim order, noting that it did not have merit. "Respondent...
Madras High Court Upholds Arbitral Award Directing MediaOne To Pay ₹1.23 Crore In 'Maatraan' Film Dispute
In a rejection of a challenge to an arbitral award, the Madras High Court has upheld the Sole Arbitrator's decision directing MediaOne Global Entertainment Ltd. to pay over 1.23 crores in relation to an agreement over the release of the film “Maatraan”. Dissmissing a plethora of arguments contended by the Petitioner, Justice N. Anand Venkatesh on 28th November 2025 ruled that a guarantee deed, claimed as “comfort letter” by the Petitioner, was not a mere formality but a “binding...
Madras High Court Strikes Down Wrongful Copyright Entry Over 'Sagar Homeo Stores' Logo
The Madras High Court has ordered the cancellation of a copyright entry that wrongly gave a rival businessman ownership of the artistic logo used by the long-established “Sagar Homeo Stores,” holding that the record had been incorrectly created despite the store's earlier trademark and copyright registrations. A single bench of Justice N Senthilkumar passed the order on November 28, 2025, ruling that the 2009 registration obtained by Mir Mukkaram Ali, a competing homeopathic businessman, was...
Income Tax Act | Payment For IPLC Services Not 'Royalty' U/S 9; Assessee Entitled To Deduction U/S 40(a)(i): Madras High Court
The Madras High Court has held that payment for IPLC (International Private Leased Circuits) Services does not constitute 'royalty' under Section 9 of the Income Tax Act, and that the assessee is entitled to a deduction under Section 40(a)(i) of the Income Tax Act. Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice Sunder Mohan examined whether the payment made by the assessee for IPLC services constitutes 'royalty' under Section 9 of the Income Tax Act, and whether the assessee is...
Madras High Court Jails Contemnor For Repeated Breach Of HUL's 'WHEEL' Trademark Injunction
The Madras High Court has sentenced the proprietor of Roopa Industries to three months civil imprisonment and attached the company's property for repeatedly breaching an injunction protecting HUL's 'WHEEL' and 'ACTIVE WHEEL' trademarks.In an order passed on November 26, 2025, Justice N Senthilkumar found that Roopa Industries had continued using deceptively similar marks despite a subsisting injunction, and held that its conduct warranted action under Order XXXIX Rule 2-A of the Code of Civil...
Arbitrator Can't Pierce Corporate Veil To Fasten Liability On Non-Signatory: Madras High Court Partially Sets Aside Award
The Madras High Court partially set aside an arbitral award holding that arbitrator cannot pierce a corporate veil or treat a non-signatory as an alter ego to fasten liability, while modifying the award to direct repayment of a loan of Rs. 2.5 crore with interest. Justice N. Anand Venkatesh held that the arbitrator exceeded its jurisdiction by treating a third party as the petitioner's sister concern and concluding breach of contract based on that inference. Sugesan Transport Pvt....
Even Though Evidence Act Is Not Applicable To Arbitration, Tribunal Must Follow Its Core Principles: Madras High Court
The Madras High Court has recently observed that although arbitral tribunals are not bound by the Evidence Act, they must still follow its foundational principles when assessing evidence to avoid judicial scrutiny. A single bench of Justice N Anand Venkatesh stated that “the fundamental principles of the Evidence Act which provides the basis for dealing with the case must be satisfied failing which the Arbitral Award will infract the fundamental policy of Indian law. It can also lead to...
Madras High Court Temporarily Restrains Makers Of "Dude" Movie From Using Songs Of Ilaiyaraaja
The Madras High Court, on Friday (28th November), temporarily restrained the makers of the "Dude" movie from using the songs of renowned musician Ilaiyaraaja. Justice N Senthilkumar granted an interim injunction in a plea moved by the musician seeking to restrain Mythri Movie Makers, producers of the "Dude" movie, from using his songs unauthorisedly. The court had reserved orders on November 26, after hearing the parties. Ilaiyaraaja had approached the court seeking a permanent...
Madras High Court Quashes Order Allowing Pfizer To Seek Documents From Indian Drug Manufacturer For US Suit
The Madras High Court has overturned a Single Judge's order that had permitted pharmaceutical giant Pfizer to enforce Letters Rogatory issued by a United States court to obtain documents and testimony from Chennai-based Softgel Healthcare Pvt. Ltd. Letters Rogatory are formal requests sent by a court in one country to a court in another country seeking assistance in gathering evidence for a legal proceedingA division bench of Justice G Jayachandran and Justice Mummineni Sudheer Kumar ruled on...
Ilaiyaraaja Moves Madras High Court Against 'Unauthorised' Use Of His Songs In Dude Movie, Court Reserves Order On Interim Plea
The Madras High Court, on Wednesday, reserved orders on a plea moved by renowned musician Ilaiyaraaja seeking to temporarily restrain Mythri Movie Makers from 'unauthorisedly' using his songs in the recent Tamil movie "Dude", starring Pradeep Ranganathan and Mamitha Baiju. Justice N Senthilkumar reserved orders on the interim injunction plea moved by the musician. Ilaiyaraaja has approached the court seeking a permanent injunction restraining the producers of the Dude movie from using his...
Madras High Court Allows Udaipur Salon To Use 'Bounce', Rejects South Indian Chain's Appeal
The Madras High Court has dismissed appeals filed by Spalon India Private Limited, operator of the “BOUNCE” salon chain in South India, against an order vacating the interim injunction earlier granted in its favour over the use of the word “Bounce” by an Udaipur-based salon, “Bounce Salon & Makeover Studio.”A Division Bench of Justice G Jayachandran and Justice Mummineni Sudheer Kumar, on November 21, 2025, upheld the Single Judge's finding that the rival marks and logos were sufficiently...