A.R. Rahman has found himself entangled in a legal battle. The Oscar-winning music director’s company, Madras Talkies, has been ordered by the Delhi High Court to deposit ₹2 crore as security in a copyright case, according to a report by Bollywood Hungama.
The issue stems from the song “Veera Raja Veera” from Mani Ratnam’s 2023 film Ponniyin Selvan 2. It has been alleged that the tune, composed by Rahman, was copied from an earlier piece of music.
In 2023, Indian classical vocalist Faiyaz Wasifuddin Dagar filed a lawsuit under the Copyright Act against Rahman, claiming that “Veera Raja Veera” was based on the melody of “Shiva Stuti”, a composition created by his father Nasir Faiyazuddin Dagar and uncle Zahiruddin Dagar. He stated that “Shiva Stuti” is a well-known classical piece frequently performed by members of the Dagar family around the world.
Rahman, however, has denied the allegations. Through his legal team, he argued that “Shiva Stuti” is a traditional composition, whereas “Veera Raja Veera” is an original creation with a distinctly different musical structure, not rooted in the classical Dhrupad tradition.
