Netflix Removes Good Bad Ugly From It’s Platform – Here’s Why

Copyright issues are becoming a big challenge for filmmakers and streaming platforms in India. In recent years, several films and documentaries have been temporarily removed from OTT platforms because of disputes over using songs, images or visuals without permission. Courts have been strict about getting proper approvals, and what counts as fair use is still being debated.

Now, the Tamil film Good Bad Ugly has been removed from Netflix following a court order. The film, directed by Adhik Ravichandran, stars Ajith Kumar, Trisha, Arjun Das, Prasanna, Prabhu, and Sunil. It released in theaters on April 10 and came to Netflix on May 8 but is no longer available for streaming.

The problem started when legendary composer Ilaiyaraaja filed a lawsuit against the film’s producers, Mythri Movie Makers. He claimed some of his songs were used without permission. The songs include ‘Ottha Ruba Tharen,’ ‘En Jodi Manja Kuruvi,’ and ‘Ilamai Idho Idho.’ Ilaiyaraaja first asked for Rs 5 crore and an apology, and later filed a copyright infringement case. The producers said they had permission but did not give details, which led the Madras High Court to step in.

Justice N Senthilkumar gave an interim order stopping the producers from showing, distributing or streaming the film on any platform, including Netflix, until the case is settled. The court noted that the producers did not provide proof of permission.

This case shows that even films already released can face removal from streaming platforms because of copyright or personality rights issues. Earlier, the 2021 Nani-starrer V was removed from Amazon Prime Video, and there have been similar controversies with Netflix documentaries involving actress Nayanthara. For now, Good Bad Ugly is not available on Netflix and will stay offline until the copyright issues are solved.