Delhi HC stays order directing AR Rahman to credit Dagar brothers in copyright case

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday stayed an interim injunction against music composer AR Rahman in a copyright case concerning the song Veera Raja Veera from the 2023 Tamil film Ponniyin Selvan 2, reported Bar and Bench.

The case was filed by Indian classical vocalist and Padma Shri awardee Faiyaz Wasifuddin Dagar, who alleged that the song copied Shiva Stuti, a composition by his father Nasir Faiyazuddin Dagar and uncle Zahiruddin Dagar, known together as the Junior Dagar Brothers.

On April 25, a single judge ruled in Dagar’s favour, directing Rahman and the film’s producers to credit the Dagar brothers on all online platforms. The court also imposed costs of Rs 2 lakh and asked them to deposit Rs 2 crore. The musician appealed against the order.

On Tuesday, the division bench of Justices C Hari Shankar and Ajay Digpaul stayed the injunction and listed Rahman’s appeal for final disposal on May 23.

“As the subject matter of the copyright…has been in public domain since 2023, without prejudice to the rights and contentions of both sides and without intending the order to be any expression on cases of the parties before us, we stay the operation of the injunction,” said the court.

The bench also stayed the Rs 2 lakh costs imposed earlier but directed Rahman and the producers to...

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