Additionally, the defendants have been directed to deposit ₹2 crore with the Court Registry, also directed them to pay ₹2 lakh costs to Dagar.
Published Apr 26, 2025 | 4:44 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 26, 2025 | 4:44 PM
A poster of the film 'Ponniyin Selvan 2'. (X)
The Delhi High Court on Friday, 25 April, passed an interim order in the copyright infringement suit filed by Faiyaz Wasifuddin Dagar against music director AR Rahman, and production house Madras Talkies, over the composition of the song “Veera Raja Veera”, from Ponniyin Selvan 2.
In 2023, Indian classical singer and Padma Shri awardee Faiyaz Wasifuddin Dagar filed a copyright infringement case, alleging that the composition of “Veera Raja Veera” was copied from “Shiva Stuti,” originally composed by his father Nasir Faiyazuddin Dagar and uncle Zahiruddin Dagar.
According to the Livelaw, Justice Prathiba M Singh said that balance of convenience was in favour of Dagar and against Rahman and other defendants.
The Court found that the song “Veera Raja Veera” is not just inspired by, but essentially identical to the composition “Shiva Stuti”, with only minor alterations. Justice Singh ordered that new slides be added to the song, crediting the original composers—Nasir Faiyazuddin Dagar and Ustad N Zahiruddin Dagar.
Additionally, the defendants have been directed to deposit ₹2 crore with the Court Registry, also directed them to pay ₹2 lakh costs to Dagar.
The Bar and Bench further noted that Dagar alleged that although “Veera Raja Veera” features different lyrics, its musical structure mirror that of “Shiv Stuti”, a composition globally performed by the Junior Dagar Brothers and featured in PAN Records albums.
In response, AR Rahman denied the claims, asserting that “Shiv Stuti” is a traditional Dhrupad composition in the public domain. He maintained that “Veera Raja Veera” is an original creation, built using Western musical principles and comprising 227 distinct layers—surpassing the framework of traditional Hindustani classical music.
The film franchise — a historical drama — is based on a 1955 novel by Kalki Krishnamurthy of the same name, which chronicles the story of the early days of Arulmozhivarman, one of the most powerful kings in the south, who went on to become the great Chola emperor Rajaraja Chola I.
