GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 6th May: Big news for AR Rahman’s fans! The Delhi High Court has provided interim relief to the renowned music composer in the copyright case concerning his popular song “Veera Raja Veera” from the blockbuster film Ponniyin Selvan 2. The court has temporarily stayed the injunction order issued by a single judge, offering significant relief to Rahman.
The controversy erupted when Padma Shri awardee and celebrated Dhrupad vocalist, Faiyaz Wasifuddin Dagar, alleged that the tune of “Veera Raja Veera” was a direct lift from a Shiv Stuti composed by his father, Nasir Faiyazuddin Dagar, and his uncle, Zahiruddin Dagar. The Dagar family claims that despite different lyrics, the melody, beat, and musical structure of the song are identical to the Shiv Stuti, which the Dagar brothers performed and recorded on international platforms.
On April 25th, a single judge, Justice Pratibha M Singh, ruled in favor of the Dagar family, ordering Rahman and the producers to credit the Dagar brothers across all platforms, pay a fine of ₹2 lakh, and deposit ₹2 crore with the court. Justice Singh had commented that the song’s composition was not merely inspired but almost identical, thus infringing upon the Dagar family’s rights.
However, on Tuesday, a division bench of the High Court — comprising Justices C Hari Shankar and Justice Ajay Digpaul — stayed the injunction until the next order while hearing Rahman’s appeal. The court stated, “Since the subject matter of the copyright dispute has been in the public domain since 2023, we stay the order without prejudice to the rights of any party.”
The court clarified that while Rahman and the producers must still deposit the ₹2 crore, this order does not reflect any opinion on the final outcome of the appeal. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for May 23rd, and all eyes are on it.
Rahman’s side has maintained that “Veera Raja Veera” is an original composition utilizing 227 layers of Western music and goes far beyond the traditional Dhrupad style.
This case could set a precedent for music lovers and the industry alike — will AR Rahman’s music stand the test of originality, or will justice be served to the Dagar family’s legacy? The entire nation awaits the next verdict.
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