Delhi HC Orders AR Rahman To Deposit Rs 2 Cr In Ponniyin Selvan 2’s Veera Raja Veera’s Copyright Infringement Lawsuit

Delhi High Court’s Justice Pratibha M Singh directed AR Rahman and the production company Madras Talkies to correct the song credits for Veera Raja Veera in the movie Ponniyin Selvan 2. This follows a copyright infringement suit filed by Ustad Faiyaz Wasifuddin Dagar. He is a distinguished classical singer who claimed that the composition of Veera Raja Veera was essentially identical to Shiva Stuti. It was created by Dagar’s father and uncle, with only minor changes.

Delhi High Court Asks AR Rahman To Deposit Rs 2 Crore For Copyright Infringement

On Friday, the Delhi High Court issued an interim order mandating that AR Rahman and Madras Talkies acknowledge the junior Dagar brothers—Nasir Zahiruddin and Nasir Faiyazuddin—in the song credits, noting that the piece was previously credited to the Dagarvani tradition. Additionally, the court required Rahman and the production company to deposit Rs 2 crore with the court’s registry and pay Rs 2 lakh in costs to the Dagars.

“The court holds that the impugned song is not merely based on or inspired by the song composition of Shiva Stuti but is exact identical to the song composition with mere changes,” Justice Singh stated while delivering the verdict. The court pointed out that initially, the defendants (Rahman and the company) did not recognise Dagar’s work. “When the plaintiff (Dagar) contacted defendant number 1, the acknowledgement was given albeit reluctantly,” the bench remarked.\

High Court Announces New Credit Slide Implementation

The high court also stipulated that a new credit slide would be implemented across all OTT and online platforms for the contested song. It stated, “In place of the existing slide, a new slide will be made on all OTTs and online platforms in respect of the impugned song affecting the credits.” The new slide will read, composition based on Shiva Stuti by late Ustad N Faiyazuddin Dagar and late Ustad Zahiruddin Dagar. A detailed copy of the judgment will be provided later.

Justice Singh emphasised that Hindustani classical music is eligible for protection under the Copyright Act, as long as it represents the composer’s original work. “So long as the composition in the Hindustani classical music is an original work of the composer, the same would be entitled to protection under the Copyright Act. The composer would also be entitled to exercise all rights under the rights,” the court ruled.

About The Lawsuit

In his suit, Faiyaz Wasifuddin Dagar, a Padma Shri awardee, claimed that the composition of Veera Raja Veera was derived from Shiva Stuti. It was created by his father, Nasir Faiyazuddin Dagar and uncle Zahiruddin Dagar. He argued that despite the different lyrics, the song’s musical structure, rhythm, and beat bore a striking resemblance to the original Shiva Stuti composition. And that it was being used without appropriate attribution.

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Akankshya Mukherjee

Akankshya Mukherjee is a dynamic and ambitious individual poised to make waves in the realm of Media and Communication. With a passion for creativity and a drive to contribute to forward-thinking organizations, Akankshya embodies adaptability and a hunger for learning. Having already garnered experience through involvement in various organizations, she has honed the skill of quickly adapting to new environments and challenges. She sees each opportunity as a chance for personal and professional growth, eagerly embracing roles in communications and content writing.