The Delhi High Court has ruled in favour of composer AR Rahman, overturning an earlier order that had found him liable in a copyright infringement case involving the 2023 Tamil film Ponniyin Selvan 2.
The case centred on “Veera Raja Veera”, a song from the film’s soundtrack, which classical vocalist and Padma Shri awardee Ustad Faiyaz Wasifuddin Dagar claimed borrowed from “Shiva Stuti”, a traditional Dhrupad composition by his family.
Earlier Order Against AR Rahman
In April 2025, the court had directed AR Rahman and co-producers Madras Talkies and Lyca Production to deposit 2 crore, revise credits on streaming platforms, and cover legal costs. Ustad Dagar alleged that the composition was created in the 1970s by his late father and uncle, the Junior Dagar Brothers.
A bench of Justices C.Hari Shankar and Om Prakash Shukla set aside the April ruling, holding that the claim of exclusive authorship over Shiva Stuti was unsustainable. And that the claim for authorship is rejected, there are no requirements to get into other aspects such as originality or infringement.
The court stressed the difficulties of applying copyright law to centuries-old classical traditions. It pointed out that members of the extended Dagar Family, including the Gundecha Brothers and their students have publicly performed ‘Shiva Stuti’ without asserting sole ownership.
With the High Court rejecting the claim of authorship, the case has now ended in favor of AR Rahman and the film’s producers.
Sources: The Hindu
