Delhi HC grants temporary relief to AR Rahman in Ponniyin Selvan 2 song copyright case

CHENNAI: The Delhi High Court has set aside an interim injunction issued by a single-judge bench against Grammy-winning music composer AR Rahman in a copyright case over the song “Veera Raja Veera” from Mani Ratnam’s 2023 film Ponniyin Selvan II. The earlier order had directed him to pay damages and change the song credits over alleged copyright infringement.

A division bench of Justices C Hari Shankar and Om Prakash Shukla, hearing Rahman’s appeal, ruled that the single-judge order could not stand. “We have allowed the appeal… and set aside the impugned (disputed) order by the single-judge on principle,” the judges said, clarifying that the question of infringement was not examined at this stage.

The earlier order by Justice Prathiba M. Singh had come on a Rs 2 crore copyright infringement suit by classical vocalist and Padma Shri awardee Ustad Faiyaz Wasifuddin Dagar. He alleged that Rahman’s composition copied “Shiva Stuti”, created in the 1970s by his late father and late uncle, the Junior Dagar Brothers, both renowned exponents of the Dhrupad tradition of the Dagar Gharana.

Justice Singh had found the two works “identical with mere change in lyrics.”

While Dagar sought credit and an injunction against the use of the song, the defendants, including Rahman, Madras Talkies, Lyca Productions and Tips Industries, had rejected the claims, calling them misconceived.

(With ANI inputs)