In an interview with The News minute, consultant E. Pradeep Kumar from Ilayaraja’s team lashed out at SPB for saying that he wasn’t informed prior to the tour. He quoted, “People have misunderstood the issue. Ilaiyaraaja has given two press meets in the last few years telling people not to perform his songs unless they get permission from him and pay the royalty. It is not anything new. SPB has created a situation where a legal notice had to be sent.”

“We are not compelling orchestras or musicians who are surviving on Ilaiyaraaja’s music to pay up royalties. We are only concentrating on people who are earning lakhs or crores by using his creations. SPB is not doing charity shows. They are minting money and the composer doesn’t get 1 rupee. It his work and creation.”

“They are friends. He could have spoken to Ilaiyaraaja and gotten rights to perform,” the consultant concluded to The News Minute. It was in the year 2015 when Ilayaraja protected his songs and compositions with Copyrights from Radio stations and TV Channels. In a statement earlier, the music director said, “Only I hold the right to all my songs. The agreements that I signed back in the day were valid only for five years. Since they were not renewed and no royalties have been paid, all agreements stand void. I will share the royalties with the lyricists’ and directors.”

SPB is currently doing a concert in Toronto with the tour named SPB50 which was designed by his son. He has been doing a world tour since August 2016.