The Delhi High Court on Friday directed renowned music director and composer A.R. Rahman, along with the co-producers of the film Ponniyin Selvan–II, to deposit ₹2 crore with the court registry over an alleged copyright infringement related to the song Veera Raja Veera featured in the 2023 film.
The order came on a lawsuit by classical vocalist and Padma Shri awardee Ustad Faiyaz Wasifuddin Dagar, who accused Mr. Rahman and the film’s production houses — Madras Talkies and Lyca Productions — of unauthorised use of a classical composition titled Shiva Stuti, originally composed by the Junior Dagar Brothers, the late Ustad N. Faiyazuddin Dagar and the late Ustad Zahiruddin Dagar.
In the 117-page verdict, Justice Prathiba M. Singh held that the Veera Raja Veera song is “not merely based on or inspired from the suit composition Shiva Stuti but is, in fact, identical to the suit composition with mere change in lyrics”.
“The adding of other elements may have rendered the impugned song more like a modern composition but the basic underlying musical work is identical,” the judge added.
“In this case, the core of the impugned song Veera Raja Veera is not just inspired but is in fact identical in Swaras (notes), Bhava (Emotion) and Aural impact (impact on the ear) of the suit composition Shiva Stuti, from the point of view of a lay listener. Hence, the Defendant’s composition infringes the Plaintiff’s rights in Shiva Stuti,” the court stated.
The court directed the defendants to replace the existing credit slide accompanying the song on all OTT and online platforms. The current credit—“Composition based on a Dagarvani Tradition Dhrupad” must be changed to “Composition based on Shiva Stuti by Late Ustad N. Faiyazuddin Dagar and Late Ustad Zahiruddin Dagar”.
The court clarified that the ₹2 crore deposited by the defendants would remain subject to the outcome of the trial. Additionally, the court awarded ₹2 lakh as costs to Mr. Dagar, to be paid by Mr. Rahman and other defendants within four weeks.
According to Mr. Dagar, the Shiva Stuti composition was created by his father and uncle, also known as the Junior Dagar Brothers sometime in 1970s.
He claimed that following his father and uncle’s demise in 1989 and 1994, respectively, the copyright passed to him through an oral family settlement among the legal heirs.
Mr. Dagar claimed that the composition was shared with Mr. Rahman without his knowledge or authorisation and was subsequently used in the film’s soundtrack without appropriate credit.
The court also noted that Mr. Rahman, “who has earned global acclaim, initially did not give any recognition to the Plaintiff’s work. When the Plaintiff contacted the Defendant No.1 (Mr Rahman), the acknowledgement was given – albeit reluctantly”.
Published – April 25, 2025 05:05 pm IST
