AR Rahman Faces Setback In Copyright Infringement Suit Filed By Faiyaz Wasifuddin Dagar Over Veera Raja Veera Song

Music composer AR Rahman has landed into trouble as the Delhi High Court on Friday (April 25) passed an interim order against him and production company Madras Talkies in a copyright infringement suit filed over the composition of Veera Raja Veera song, from Mani Ratnam's 2023 film Ponniyin Selvan 2, reported Bar and Bench.

What is Veera Raja Veera song controversy?

In 2023, Indian classical singer and Padma Shri awardee, Ustad Faiyaz Wasifuddin Dagar, filed a copyright infringement suit against Oscar awardee Rahman at the Delhi High Court claiming that Veera Raja Veera was copied from the song Shiva Stuti, composed by his father Nasir Faiyazuddin Dagar and uncle Zahiruddin Dagar. 

Dagar, in his plea, sought credit for the song in all platforms whenever the song is played.

What is the Delhi High Court's verdict?

In the verdict, which was given today on Dagar's interim application, Justice Prathiba M Singh ruled that Veera Raja Veera song is not merely based on or inspired from the song composition of Shiva Stuti but is identical to it with certain changes.

The Court has directed the defendants (Rahman and Madras Talkies) to pay 2 crores to the Registry and also 2 lakhs to Dagar.

It also observed that Rahman and Madras Talkies had not initially given any credit to the Junior Dagar brothers for the song composition. The court has now ordered the producer of the movie to credit the song to Junior Dagar Brothers.

What did AR Rahman say?

AR Rahman, denying the allegations, stated that Shiv Stuti is a traditional composition within the Dhrupad genre, which is part of the public domain. It was also argued that Veera Raja Veera song is an original work, composed using Western musical fundamentals with 227 distinct layers, which is beyond the conventions of Hindustani classical music.