DIVYA DELHI : The Supreme Court of India directed music composer A R Rahman to acknowledge the contributions of Junior Dagar Bandhu to the Dhrupad tradition of Indian classical music. The directive comes after Ustad Faiyaz Wasifuddin Dagar filed a copyright infringement suit against Rahman over the use of “Shiva Stuti” in the film Veera Raja Veera. The plaintiff claimed that the composition was originally created by his father, Ustad Faiyazuddin Dagar, and his uncle, Zahiruddin Dagar, and sought proper credit and royalties across all media platforms, including OTT, television, and digital. The Delhi High Court had previously ordered that the credit line “Composition based on a Dagarvani Tradition Dhrupad” be replaced with “Composition based on Shiva Stuti by Late Ustad Faiyazuddin Dagar, Late Ustad Zahiruddin Dagar.” A four-member defendant panel, including Rahman, was also directed to deposit ₹2 crore each pending the suit’s outcome. A Supreme Court of India bench, headed by CJI Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, highlighted the immense contributions of the Dagar family to Indian classical music, urging Rahman’s counsel to give due respect rather than focus solely on legal technicalities. The court noted that the Dagar exponents were not in commercial competition with Rahman and emphasized the importance of honoring their legacy. The bench also stated that while the originality of the composition has been established, the authorship will be further examined as the case proceeds.
