On November 20, a court led by Justice N. Senthilkumar passed an order in a
case filed by music legend Ilaiyaraaja (Dr. Ilaiyaraaja vs. Ashok Kumar and
Central Parties). Several YouTube channels and social media accounts were
accused of misusing his identity to make money. They were reportedly using
AI to create videos, memes, and reels with his face, attract viewers, and
earn revenue. This was said to damage his reputation and suggest false
endorsements.
Ilaiyaraaja’s lawyers, S. Prabhakaran and Saravanan, said, “It’s fine to
enjoy his music, but using his identity for commercial gain is not allowed.”
The court agreed that the arguments were valid at this stage. It banned the use
of his name, photos, cartoons or animated images, AI content, voice, or any
feature that identifies him without permission. The other parties must now submit
their counter-arguments.