Even as the scars of the Sun Music suing Chennai Super Kings (CSK) over the use of music from Rajinikanth movies Coolie and Jailer 2 are yet to be removed from the minds of the marketing team of the Yellow Army, they now face the humiliation of hearing ‘Aaya Sher’ being played against them when they face the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on April 17 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.

Why is SRH playing “Aaya Sher” against CSK tonight?

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) has officially licensed the hit song “Aaya Sher” from Nani’s The Paradise to play during tonight’s match. This is a strategic move following a March 2026 lawsuit where SRH’s parent company, Sun TV, sued Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for ₹1 Crore for using music from Jailer 2 and Coolie without permission. While CSK is legally barred from using these Rajinikanth tracks, SRH is using their own music library to create a hostile (and legal) “musical” home advantage.

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The SRH’s official DJ tweeted right after the ‘Dosa-Idli Song’ complain filed by the CSK unite against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) DJ, that the Orange Army has secured the rights of the of famous song, part of Nani-starrer The Paradise and composed by Aniruddh Ravichander, a name synonymous with CSK social media posts, because they use his songs so much.

But why does it matter? One may ask. It is because, music is the heartbeat of the IPL stadium experience. When the DJ drops a beat after a six, it isn’t just “playing a song”—it is a commercial broadcast.

Why Do IPL DJs Need Music Rights?

Under the Indian Copyright Act of 1957, playing music in a public arena for a commercial event like the IPL is classified as a “Communication to the Public.”

  • Public Performance Licenses (PPL): A DJ cannot simply play a song from a personal playlist. To play recorded music for a crowd of 50,000, the venue or the franchise must obtain a license from bodies like PPL (for the recording) and IPRS (for the lyrics and composition).
  • Commercial Gain: Because IPL tickets are sold and the matches are broadcast, the use of a song helps generate revenue. Without a license, using a “hit” song is considered Copyright Infringement, which carries heavy penalties and can lead to court-ordered injunctions.
  • Sync Rights for Social Media: Most copyright battles now happen on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). If a team uses a song in a “Jersey Reveal” or “Match Day” video without a Sync License, the record label can sue for millions.
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The 2026 Sun Music vs. CSK Controversy

The reason SRH is being so careful with “Aaya Sher” is rooted in a major legal blow dealt to CSK just last month. In March 2026, Sun TV Network (owners of Sunrisers Hyderabad and Sun Music) sued CSK in the Madras High Court.

  1. The Offense: CSK used background scores and songs from Rajinikanth’s latest films—Jailer 2 and Coolie—in their 2026 jersey promotional videos.
  2. The Sun TV Grip: Since Sun TV owned the music rights to these films, they accused CSK of using their intellectual property to sell merchandise (jerseys priced at ₹2,399) without authorization.
  3. The Outcome: CSK was forced to pull down their promotional content and file an affidavit in court promising to never use Sun Music’s copyrighted tracks without a formal, paid license.