The Supreme Court is set to hear a plea by classical vocalist Ustad Faiyaz Wasifuddin Dagar against music composer A.R. Rahman. Dagar alleges that the song “Veera Raja Veera” from the Tamil film “Ponniyin Selvan II” is inspired by his family’s traditional composition “Shiva Stuti.” The case is scheduled for a hearing on February 10 before a bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant.
In a previous judgment dated September 24, 2025, the Delhi High Court overturned an interim order that required Rahman and the film’s producers to deposit Rs 2 crore and adjust song credits in favor of the Junior Dagar Brothers. The High Court found insufficient evidence to establish the Junior Dagar Brothers as the authors or composers of “Shiva Stuti.”
The High Court emphasized the distinction between a performer’s rights and authorship, stating that performance alone does not grant copyright over the underlying composition. Rejecting the earlier ruling, the court ruled that evidence presented by Wasifuddin Dagar, such as recordings and album inlays, only demonstrated performance rights, not authorship.
The court noted that “Shiva Stuti” is part of the Dagarvani or Dhrupad tradition of Hindustani classical music, evolving through oral transmission. Granting exclusive copyright claims over such compositions could impact the guru-shishya parampara. Wasifuddin Dagar has now turned to the Supreme Court to seek reinstatement of recognition and protection for the Junior Dagar Brothers’ moral and copyright interests.
