Overview

• Justice Prathiba M Singh issued an interim ruling on April 25, 2025, finding ‘Veera Raja Veera’ identical to the Dagar brothers’ composition ‘Shiva Stuti’ with minor changes.
• AR Rahman and Madras Talkies must deposit ₹2 crore with the court registry and pay ₹2 lakh in costs to Faiyaz Wasifuddin Dagar, who filed the lawsuit in 2023.
• The court directed updated credits across OTT and online platforms to acknowledge the late Ustad Nasir Faiyazuddin Dagar and Ustad Zahiruddin Dagar as the original composers.
• Rahman’s defense argued that ‘Shiva Stuti’ is a public-domain Dhrupad composition and that ‘Veera Raja Veera’ incorporates original Western musical elements.
• The case affirms that original Hindustani classical compositions are protected under Indian copyright law, with the trial ongoing to determine a final verdict.