Delhi HC Asks AR Rahman To Pay Rs 2 Crore Over Ponniyin Selvan 2 Song Plagiarism Case

In a significant ruling in a copyright infringement case, the Delhi High Court has sided with Ustad Faiyaz Wasifuddin Dagar over the use of the traditional composition Shiva Stuti in the popular song Veera Raja Veera from Ponniyin Selvan: II.

The song, composed by Oscar-winning musician AR Rahman, came under scrutiny for closely mirroring the classical Dhrupad piece originally created by Ustad Nasir Faiyazuddin Dagar and Ustad Nasir Zahiruddin Dagar.

Justice Prathiba M. Singh, in an interim order, observed that "the impugned song is not merely inspired by Shiva Stuti, but is nearly identical in composition, with only minor changes,"

The case was filed by Faiyaz Wasifuddin Dagar, a Padma Shri awardee and torchbearer of the Dagarvani tradition, who argued that while Veera Raja Veera features different lyrics, its melody, rhythm, and arrangement closely replicate Shiva Stuti.

In its ruling, the court instructed AR Rahman and the film's production house, Madras Talkies, to update the song's credits across all platforms. The revised credit must specifically acknowledge: "Composition based on Shiva Stuti by late Ustad N Faiyazuddin Dagar and late Ustad Zahiruddin Dagar," thereby ensuring rightful attribution to the original composers instead of vaguely referencing the Dagarvani lineage.

Furthermore, the court awarded ₹2 lakh to the Dagar family to cover legal costs and ordered a deposit of ₹2 crore to be made by Rahman and Madras Talkies with the court registry. Justice Singh also emphasized that original works in Hindustani classical music are protected under the Copyright Act, and their creators are entitled to recognition and legal protection.

Ponniyin Selvan: II, released in 2023, is a Tamil epic historical action drama directed by Mani Ratnam and co-written with Elango Kumaravel and B. Jeyamohan. Produced by Mani Ratnam and Subaskaran Allirajah under Madras Talkies and Lyca Productions, the film is the second installment of the cinematic adaptation of Kalki Krishnamurthy's 1954 novel Ponniyin Selvan, following the success of its first part released in 2022.