Chennai: Netflix India has removed Good Bad Ugly, starring Ajith Kumar, from its platform following a court order that restrained the use of legendary composer Ilaiyaraaja’s songs in the film. The development comes just months after the movie, which was released on May 8 in five languages, had made a successful run at the box office, grossing more than ₹248 crore worldwide.
Court order on Ilaiyaraaja songs
The Madras High Court recently barred Mythri Movie Makers, producers of Good Bad Ugly, from using three popular Ilaiyaraaja songs in the film. The order came after the composer alleged copyright infringement, stating that altered versions of his tracks — Ottha Ruba Tharen, En Jodi Manja Kuruvi and Ilamai Idho Idho — had been included without his consent.
Earlier in April, Ilaiyaraaja had sent a legal notice to the producers demanding ₹5 crore in compensation and removal of the songs from the film. This led to legal proceedings that culminated in Justice N Senthilkumar’s order earlier this month, effectively blocking the film’s exhibition with the disputed music.
Netflix takes down the film
Following the court’s directive, Good Bad Ugly is no longer available on Netflix. Users searching for the film on the platform are met with the message: “Oops we haven’t got that. Try searching for another movie, show, actor, director or genre.”
This move marks a setback for the streaming platform, which had acquired digital rights to the film and released it across Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Kannada and Malayalam. For Ajith fans, the sudden removal comes as a surprise, especially given the film’s wide popularity.
Producer’s defence
Producer Yalamanchili Ravi Shankar of Mythri Movie Makers has defended the production house, insisting that all necessary permissions were obtained. Speaking earlier to Hindustan Times, he said, “We have taken permission from all the music labels required for the songs we used in the film. The labels hold the rights, so we have followed protocol and taken NOCs from them. We have done things by the book.”
Despite this, Ilaiyaraaja maintained that his authorial rights had been violated. Legal experts note that while music labels may hold certain commercial rights, the composer’s moral rights over his work cannot be disregarded.
About Good Bad Ugly
Directed by Adhik Ravichandran, Good Bad Ugly marked Ajith Kumar’s return to the action genre. The film also featured Trisha Krishnan, Arjun Das, Prabhu, Prasanna and Jackie Shroff in pivotal roles. Released with much fanfare, it performed strongly at the box office and found a wide audience on Netflix until its removal.
What next for the film?
It remains unclear whether the producers will re-release Good Bad Ugly after removing or replacing the disputed songs. Legal proceedings are still ongoing, and industry insiders suggest that the case could set an important precedent for the treatment of classic music in contemporary cinema.
With Ilaiyaraaja being a revered figure in Indian film music, the dispute has attracted significant attention. While fans of Ajith and streaming audiences await clarity, the film’s abrupt disappearance highlights the growing importance of copyright compliance in the digital era.