Delhi High Court Orders AR Rahman to Deposit Rs 2 Crore in Copyright Case Over PS 2’s 'Veera Raja Veera'
Justice Singh determined that 'Veera Raja Veera' was not merely inspired by 'Shiva Stuti' but identical to it with minor alterations.
The Delhi High Court issued an interim order on Friday against renowned composer AR Rahman and production house Madras Talkies, following allegations of copyright infringement concerning the song 'Veera Raja Veera' from the 2023 Tamil film 'Ponniyin Selvan 2'.
Indian classical vocalist and Padma Shri awardee Faiyaz Wasifuddin Dagar filed the lawsuit in 2023, claiming that 'Veera Raja Veera' plagiarized 'Shiva Stuti', a composition by his late father Nasir Faiyazuddin Dagar and uncle Zahiruddin Dagar, renowned as the Junior Dagar Brothers. Dagar sought a permanent injunction against Rahman and Madras Talkies, demanding compensation and proper credit for his family's work.
The petition sought a permanent injunction restraining the defendants, including Rahman and Madras Talkies, from using the song. It also sought damages and the acknowledgement of moral rights.
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In her ruling on the interim appeal, Justice Singh determined that 'Veera Raja Veera' was not merely inspired by 'Shiva Stuti' but identical to it with minor alterations. As a result, the court directed Rahman and Madras Talkies to deposit Rs 2 crore with the Court Registry and imposed a Rs 2 lakh fine on the defendants pending the case.
The court also mandated corrections to the credits of 'Veera Raja Veera' on all OTT and online platforms, requiring acknowledgment that the song was based on 'Shiva Stuti' by the late Ustad N Faiyazuddin Dagar and Ustad Zahiruddin Dagar.
Rahman and Madras Talkies denied wrongdoing, arguing that 'Shiva Stuti' belonged to the public domain as part of the Dhrupad tradition of Hindustani classical music. Rahman asserted that 'Veera Raja Veera' was an original composition incorporating Western musical principles with 227 distinct layers.
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