AR Rahman Fined ₹2 Crore for Plagiarism; Court Issues Notice in Copyright Case

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Famous music director AR Rahman is once again in the news for the wrong reason. Delhi High Court has imposed a fine of Rs 2 crore on him and the film production company Madras Talkies on charges of copying the tune. The case is related to the song 'Veera Raja Veera' from Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's film 'Ponniyin Selvan 2'. The court has sent a notice to Rahman in this case.

Padma Shri awardee Ustad Faiyazuddin Wasifuddin Dagar had filed a petition in the Delhi High Court alleging that the tune of the song 'Veera Raja Veera' has been copied from 'Shiv Stuti' composed by his father Nasir Faiyazuddin Dagar and uncle Nasir Zahiruddin Dagar. He claimed that though the lyrics of the song are different, the rhythm and beats of this song are exactly like 'Shiv Stuti' and his family has not been given credit for it.

During the hearing, the court admitted that the song is a complete copy of 'Shiv Stuti'. Only some minor changes have been made. Rahman and the production company did not give any credit to his work. The court made it clear that using Dagar's work without proper credit is a copyright violation.

While imposing a fine of Rs 2 crore, the court has directed that it should be clearly written in the song that it is a composition based on 'Shiva Stuti' of late Ustad Nasir Faiyazuddin Dagar and Ustad Nasir Zahiruddin Dagar. 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 Rs 2 lakh.

The court clarified that the original compositions of Hindustani classical music are protected under copyright law. If a composition is the composer's own, he will get full legal rights.

On the other hand, AR Rahman has denied these allegations. He argued that the song 'Veera Raja Veera' is an original composition. It has been composed with 227 different layers using the basic principles of Western music, which is quite different from the traditions of Hindustani classical music. The court has given this verdict rejecting these arguments of Rahman.