Music director Ilaiyaraaja’s studio equipment, instruments damaged; complaint filed

Chennai: Veteran music director Ilaiyaraaja has filed a complaint with Chennai Police stating that many of his personal belongings, musical instruments, composition notes, which were kept in his suite of a private studio, were recently vandalized. The damage was allegedly caused by the studio owner’s heir and his henchmen during the Lockdown. 

Ilaiyaraaja is a 77-year old musician who has composed music for more than 1300 movies and in excess of 7000 songs in several languages in India since the year 1976.

The said suite does not belong to Ilaiyaraaja, but the music director claims that it was handed over to him by its original owner and late film personality LV Prasad. “The said Mr. L.V.Prasad, in the year 1977 has offered and given the entire block of the recording theatre-1 mentioned above, to me as a mark of respect to my works in the film industry and also as consideration for performing works for his projects. The late Shri. L V Prasad, has earmarked a specific area and a room specifically and exclusively and permitted me to possess, enjoy and utilise the property as my own without any hindrances with lock and key,” stated Ilaiyaraaja in his complaint. 

Ilaiyaraaja claimed that he had used the facility for nearly 25 years after the demise of its original owner (LV Prasad) and this was done with the knowledge, recognition of the heir (Ramesh Prasad). However, it was after the original owner’s grandson (Sai Prasad) took over the property that the alleged issues have begun. 

The complaint alleged that in September 2019, Sai Prasad and his men had unlawfully threatened to disconnect water, electricity and other facilities, while entering forcibly with henchmen and attempted to dispossessed Ilaiyaraaja of the premises. 

“I state that immediately after the unlawful threatening acts of the respondents as aforesaid, I have filed the suit in O.S. No. 7315 of 2019 before the Hon’ble City Civil Court, Chennai seeking permanent injunction restraining the said Sai Prasad and others, their men, etc., from in any manner interfering with my peaceful possession and enjoyment of the suit premise. The said suit is still pending” reads the complaint. 

The complaint further stated that during the Covid-19 lockdown, Ilaiayaraaja’s personal room containing valuable composition notes, several musical instruments, personal belongings were broken open. 

“Using the cover of this COVID pandemic, Sai Prasad and his underlings have started destroying/removing/tampering my musical instruments/notes. All my invaluable composition notes are lying there and I received credible information that they are being sold surreptitiously in the black market for a huge sum. This amounts to daylight robbery and grand theft,” Ilaiyaraaja said. 

The complainant sought immediate action in order to ensure that his valuable possessions are not damaged, destroyed, and sold.