Supreme Court To Hear On Friday Ustad's Plea In 'Veera Raja Veera' Copyright Case Against A R Rahman

Background

The case arose from the use of a classical Dhrupad composition “Shiva Stuti” in the Tamil film song “Veera Raja Veera” composed by A.R. Rahman for the film Ponniyin Selvan 2.

The controversy arose after the film's theatrical release on April 28, 2023. Ustad Faiyaz Wasifuddin Dagar alleged that protectable portions of “Shiva Stuti”, a composition attributed to the late junior Dagar Brothers had been included into the song without any authorisation.

According to Faiyaz, Shiva Stuti was jointly composed by the late Ustad Faiyazuddin Dagar and late Ustad Zahiruddin Dagar in the 1970s as part of the Dagarvani tradition of Hindustani classical music. The composition was first publicly fixed and recorded during a performance at the Royal Tropical Institute at Amsterdam on June 22, 1978 and later published through commercial recordings.

Dagar claimed that copyright and moral rights in the composition devolved upon him after a family settlement following the demise of the original composers.

Dagar further alleged that two of his disciples who later participated in the recording of Veera Raja Veera had shared the composition with A.R. Rahman without consent. He argued that the song reproduced the core melodic structure, Swara patterns, rhythm cycle and emotional expression of Shiva Stuti, amounting to infringement of both copyright and moral rights.

When no resolution was in sight, Ustad filed a commercial suit before the Delhi High Court in 2023, seeking injunctions, recognition of moral rights, damages and attribution. On April 25, 2025, a single judge bench of the court partly allowed interim relief, directing correction of credits, deposit of Rs. 2 crores as security and payment of costs.

Aggrieved by the order, A.R. Rahman filed an appeal before the division bench of the high court. The appeal questioned the findings on originality, authorship, and the grant of final relief at an interlocutory stage.

The division bench set aside and modified portions of the single judge's interim order, including the direction requiring a Rs 2 crore deposit and certain observations that effectively amounted to final findings. At the same time, the court did not fully accept Rahman's case and clarified that all issues relating to authorship, originality and infringement would be decided at trial.

Aggrieved by the vacation and dilution of interim relief, Dagar has now approached the Supreme Court