The Madras High Court on Monday advised legendary music composer Ilaiyaraaja not to press the claim for damages if the owners of Prasad Laboratories allow him to pay a visit to a sound recording theatre from where he had been composing for the last 35 years.
Justice N. Sathish Kumar asked senior counsel P.S. Raman to get instructions from the composer by Tuesday on the suggestion made by the court to end a bitter battle between him and the owners of the laboratories where the theatre was located.
The judge also asked P.H. Arvindh Pandian and advocate Abdul Saleem representing the landlords to persuade their clients and make them agree for a day’s visit to the recording theatre by the music composer and permit him to take away all his belongings.
The judge said no one else but the composer, an Advocate Commissioner to be appointed by the court for taking inventory of the articles and counsel from both sides, could be allowed to visit the theatre on a mutually agreeable day.
The suggestion was made after Mr. Pandian complained to the court that the music composer was particular on seeking damages and hence his clients do not want to let him inside their campus.
They, however, were agreeable to hand over his belongings to his representatives. On the other hand, Mr. Raman said his client was insisting on reserving his right to seek damages because musical instruments worth several lakh of rupees were available in the theatre and he was not sure whether those instruments were maintained properly or had been damaged.
He said that Mr. Ilaiyaraaja had occupied the theatre for more than three decades on the basis of an oral understanding between him and L.V. Prasad, the founder of the laboratories.
However, the landlord’s legal heirs were now trying to evict him unceremoniously.
