Chennai Super Kings are facing a new off-field challenge ahead of the Indian Premier League’s 2026 season as a major legal battle has reached the Madras High Court. The CSK court case centres on allegations that the franchise used copyrighted music, background scores and dialogues from popular Rajinikanth films in one of its promotional videos without obtaining the necessary rights.
SRH Files Case Against CSK
The lawsuit was filed by Sun TV Network Limited, which also owns Sunrisers Hyderabad and the film production unit Sun Pictures. Sun TV claims that CSK used music from its films Jailer, Jailer 2 and Coolie in the IPL 2026 jersey launch video released on March 1 across the team’s official social media platforms. According to the complaint, CSK did not obtain a licence to use audio tracks, background music or dialogue from these films and therefore violated copyright laws.
The contested promotional video reportedly featured the popular “Hukum” track and other musical pieces composed by Anirudh Ravichander for Rajinikanth’s films. Sun TV has sought a permanent injunction to prevent CSK from using such material in any of their promotional content, social media posts or stadium broadcasts. They are also demanding Rs 1 crore in damages and full disclosure of any revenue generated from the promotional campaign that used the contested audio content.
CSK response and court proceedings
At the March 13 hearing, CSK’s legal team informed the court that the promotional video has been taken down from all platforms and replaced with content featuring licensed music. Senior counsel representing CSK said the team would cease using the disputed tracks in future promos without proper permission. The court directed CSK to file an affidavit confirming this commitment and adjourned the matter to March 16 for further proceedings.
The case has drawn attention from both sports and entertainment communities, as it highlights the growing importance of copyright compliance in sports marketing. CSK has been known for using high-energy film music to hype fans ahead of the IPL season, particularly music associated with superstar Rajinikanth and his films.
Fans and analysts are watching closely as this CSK court case unfolds just weeks before the start of the IPL. The outcome may set a precedent for how sporting franchises use popular cultural and film assets in promotional material.
