The Delhi High Court has set aside an interim injunction earlier granted in favour of Ustad Faiyaz Wasifuddin Dagar in a copyright dispute against composer A. R. Rahman and the producers of the film Ponniyin Selvan II. The case centered on allegations that Rahman’s song Veera Raja Veera copied elements from Shiva Stuti, a composition attributed to Dagar’s father and uncle, who were renowned exponents of the Dhrupad tradition.
Dagar argued that while the lyrics of the two works were different, the rhythm, beat, and overall musical structure of Veera Raja Veera were substantially similar to Shiva Stuti. He claimed that this amounted to copyright infringement, as the core of the composition had been reproduced without authorization.
In April, a single judge of the High Court had ruled in Dagar’s favour at the interim stage. That order directed Rahman and the film’s producers to provide credit to Ustad N. Faiyazuddin Dagar and Ustad Z. Zahiruddin Dagar on all platforms where the song was available. It also required them to deposit a sum of ₹2 crore with the court registry and imposed costs of ₹2 lakh in favour of Dagar.
Rahman and the producers appealed against the interim injunction. The Division Bench of Justices C. Hari Shankar and Om Prakash Shukla stayed the direction to provide credit and the costs imposed, although the requirement of depositing ₹2 crore initially remained pending. The matter was then taken up for a full hearing on the appeal.
In its ruling, the Division Bench clarified that it was not making any finding on whether copyright infringement had in fact occurred. Instead, it focused on the principles applicable to interim injunctions. The Court held that the single judge’s order granting relief at an early stage could not be sustained and that the issue of infringement should be determined during the course of a full trial.
As a result, the interim injunction that had restrained Rahman and the producers has now been lifted. The film and its music can continue to be distributed without the earlier restrictions, although the substantive question of whether Veera Raja Veera infringes the copyright in Shiva Stuti will be examined when the case proceeds to trial.
This decision marks a significant development in the ongoing dispute, as it removes the immediate obligations imposed on Rahman and the producers while keeping open the possibility of a final determination on copyright at a later stage.
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