Music composer AR Rahman and the producers of the film ‘Ponniyin Selvan 2’ have been directed by the Delhi High Court to deposit Rs 2 crore. This comes in connection with a copyright infringement case involving the classical composition Shiv Stuti by the late Junior Dagar Brothers.
The case
In 2023, singer Faiyaz Wasifuddin Dagar filed a lawsuit against Rahman and the production house, Madras Talkies, alleging unauthorized use of the composition.
Court’s order
In an interim order dated April 25, Justice Prathiba M. Singh stated that from the perspective of an average listener, Rahman’s track Veera Raja Veera was “not merely inspired by, but in fact identical” to Shiv Stuti.
Recognising the Junior Dagar Brothers’ contribution, the court also mandated that a special credit slide be added to the film on all OTT and online platforms where it is available. Additionally, the court awarded Rs 2 lakh to the family of the late artists to acknowledge their artistic legacy.