Ilaiyaraaja has also accused Sai Prasad of selling his composition notes in the black market for a huge sum. (Photo: Ilaiyaraaja/Facebook)

Music great Ilaiyaraaja has filed a police complaint in Chennai accusing Prasad Studio of illegally removing his music instruments, damaging some equipment and stealing his music notes.

At the centre of the dispute is the Recording Theatre-1, where Ilaiyaraaja has been working since the 70s. In his complaint, Ilaiyaraaja has claimed that the founder of the studio, LV Prasad had granted him possession of Theatre-1, which is popularly known as Ilaiyaraaja Recording Studio, as a “mark of his respect” to his work. And the same arrangement continued even after the passing of LV Prasad and under the ownership of LV Prasad’s son Ramesh Prasad. However, Prasad’s grandson Sai Prasad, who is now in charge of the studio, is trying to change the status quo.

Since September 2019, Ilaiyaraaja and Sai Prasad have been at loggerheads over the property. The music maestro alleged that the owner had threatened to “disconnect electricity, water and other facilities to the premise” in question. And the dispute prompted Ilaiyaraaja to file a case in Chennai, and the civil suit is still pending.

In his latest complaint to Chennai’s police commissioner, Ilaiyaraaja has alleged that taking advantage of the COVID-19 lockdown, some men entered his studio without his permission at the behest of Sai Prasad. In addition to breaking in, the suspects have also “removed all the valuables”, including composition notes, several musical instruments and his personal belongings. Ilaiyaraaja has claimed that the removed and damaged properties of his were worth “several crores.”

Ilaiyaraaja has also accused Sai Prasad of selling his composition notes in the black market for a huge sum.

In a career spanning over four decades, Ilaiyaraaja has composed music for over 1300 movies and more than 7000 songs in various languages.

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