Delhi HC orders A.R. Rahman to pay Rs 2 crore in ‘Ponniyin Selvan 2’ copyright case

Musical maestro A.R. Rahman has landed in legal trouble. According to reports, the 58-year-old is facing copyright infringement for his musical work in Mani Ratnam directorial, Ponniyin Selvan 2. On Friday, the Delhi High Court passed an interim order against the Oscar-winning composer and Madras Talkies, the production house that bankrolled the film, ordering to pay Rs 2 crore as compensation to the accusing party.

ALSO READ | 'Despite AI, creating a tune still needs human heart and philosophical mind': A.R. Rahman

The case was filed by Ustad Fayyaz Wasifuddin Dagar, Padma Shri winning classical musician, who moved the court in 2023, that the song Veera Raja Veera from the film was a copy of Shiva Stuti, a composition by his father Nasir Faiyazuddin Dagar and uncle Zahiruddin Dagar.

He sought a permanent injunction against the defendants, along with acknowledgement of moral rights. According to Bar and Bench, Justice Prathiba M Singh has noted that Veera Raja Veera is not just inspired by Shiva Stuti, but a direct copy of the song with a few lyrical changes.

ALSO READ | ‘Superman’ estate sues Warner Bros. over copyright violation on new film

The court has ordered Rahman to deposit the compensation directly to the Registrar’s Office at the Delhi High Court.

In a 2023 interview with Scroll, Dagar said, “I am a small man but my music is huge. In this city, everyone knows that we don’t run after celebrities or money. We keep a low profile. But the acknowledgement of another artist’s work is important. In our music, when we name the greats, we touch our ears. That is an acknowledgement of their knowledge, wisdom and effort that we are freely dipping into.” 

Entertainment