Another major case has reached the Delhi High Court, and this time it involves two big names connected to India’s entertainment and legal circles. The matter is an A R Rahman copyright news. Recently, the Court set aside a temporary injunction order against A.R. Rahman, one of India’s most celebrated and talented music composers. The case is linked to his song “Veera Raja Veera” from the film Ponniyin Selvan II, which was alleged to have similarities with a classical piece attributed to the Dagar family. This news is significant because it highlights the importance of protecting content under copyright law. If you want to understand more about this case, keep reading.
What Is the Background of the AR Rahman vs Dagar Family Copyright Case?
To understand this case better, we first need to look at its background and how the dispute began. The controversy started when Ustad Faiyaz Wasifuddin Dagar, a renowned classical singer from the Dagar family, alleged that A.R. Rahman’s song “Veera Raja Veera” from the film Ponniyin Selvan II was copied from their family’s traditional composition “Shiva Stuti.” He pointed out that even though the lyrics of the two songs were completely different, Rahman’s composition showed striking similarities in its
- tala (beat),
- swaras (notes), and
- overall feel.
Dagar firmly claimed that this amounted to copyright infringement. In the suit, the Dagar family put forward multiple demands, such as:
- They asked that proper credit be given to the Dagar family as the original creators of “Shiva Stuti” whenever Rahman’s “Veera Raja Veera” is used, performed, or distributed.
- They requested the court to restrain A.R. Rahman and the film producers from using the song without acknowledging their contribution.
- They sought compensation for the alleged unauthorized use of their family’s composition.
- They wanted the court to officially recognize that Veera Raja Veera was derived from their family’s traditional work.
How Did the Delhi High Court Rule on AR Rahman’s Veera Raja Veera Copyright Case?
This case has gone through multiple stages between April and September 2025. It first came up in April 2025, when a single-judge bench of the Delhi High Court ruled in favour of Ustad Faiyaz Wasifuddin Dagar. The judge observed that A.R. Rahman’s song Veera Raja Veera was almost identical in its notes, rhythm, and overall feel to the Dagar family’s composition Shiva Stuti. As a result, the Court directed Rahman and the film’s producers to give due credit to the Dagars, pay ₹2 lakh as costs, and deposit ₹2 crore as security.
But the case did not go over here. AR Rahman and the producer again appealed the case in Delhi High Court, where on the September 24 2025, the court set aside the injunction order and but the court stayed with the financial decision, clarifying that the main question—whether Rahman’s composition infringes on the Dagars’ work—has not yet been decided and will be examined in detail later.
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Conclusion
The Veera Raja Veera copyright case shows how complex and sensitive intellectual property disputes in music can be. While the Delhi High Court initially sided with the Dagar family, the later decision to set aside the injunction gave temporary relief to A.R. Rahman and the film’s producers. However, the most important question—whether the song truly infringes on the Dagars’ composition Shiva Stuti—remains unresolved. The final verdict will not only decide this particular case but could also set an important precedent for how India’s courts handle traditional works, inspiration, and copyright protection in music.