Famous music director AR Rahman has once again come into the limelight due to the wrong reason. The Delhi High Court has imposed a fine of Rs 2 crore on him and film production company Madras Talkies on charges of tune copy. The case is related to the song ‘Veera Raja Veera’ from Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s film ‘Ponanian Selvan 2’. The court has sent a notice to Rahman in this case. Padmashri -awarded Ustad Fayajuddin Wasifuddin Dagar had filed a petition in the Delhi High Court alleging that the tune of the song ‘Veera Raja Veera’ was copied with his father Nasir Fayajuddin Dagar and uncle Nasir Zahin Dasir Dasar Dagar.
He claimed that the lyrics of the song are of course different, but the rhythm and beats of this song are completely found from ‘Shiva Stuti’ and it is not credited to his family. During the hearing, the court admitted that the song ‘Shiva Stuti’ is completely copied. Just some minor changes have been made. Rahman and the producer company did not give any credit to his work. The court made it clear that using Dagar’s work without proper credit is copyright violation.
The family of the creator of Shiva Stuti will get 2 lakh rupees
The court has imposed a fine of 2 crores and directed that it should be clearly written in the song that it is a composition based on the late Ustad Nasir Fayajuddin Dagar and Ustad Nasir Zahu Mahiuruddin Dagar’s ‘Shiva Praise’. It should be updated on all OTT platforms and online mediums. Not only this, the Dagar family will also have to pay a compensation of two lakh rupees.
The court made it clear that the basic compositions of Hindustani classical music are preserved under the Copyright Act. If a composition is his own, he will get full legal rights. At the same time, AR Rahman has denied these allegations. He argued that the song ‘Veera Raja Veera’ is a fundamental creation. It is designed with 227 different layers using the basic principles of Western music, which is quite different from the traditions of Indian classical music. The court has ruled the verdict, rejecting these arguments of Rahman.
