Highlighting the deep roots of India’s classical music heritage, the Supreme Court on Friday stressed that traditional contributions must be properly recognised in modern works. The court asked music composer A. R. Rahman and the makers of ‘Ponniyin Selvan 2’ to give due credit to the Dagarwani tradition in the song ‘Veera Raja Veera.‘ The bench underlined that long-standing musical traditions and classical gharanas form the backbone of Indian music and deserve a formal acknowledgement.
Faiyaz Wasifuddin Dagar moves to the Supreme Court
As reported by Press Trust of India (PTI), the case was heard by a bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi. The plea was filed by noted Dhrupad vocalist Faiyaz Wasifuddin Dagar, who challenged a September 2025 Delhi High Court ruling. The High Court had observed that there was no clear prima facie evidence to show that the Junior Dagar Brothers were the original authors of the classical composition ‘Shiv Stuti.’
Supreme Court questions authorship claim
During the proceedings, the judges noted that being the first to perform a piece does not automatically establish authorship. The Court tried to ascertain whether the work was original or an adaptation of the broader Dagarwani tradition. The petitioner’s counsel argued that the copyright application was not for the raga, gharana, or tradition but for an individual piece of music that his father and uncle had composed.
Court emphasises classical gharana recognition
The Supreme Court observed that gharanas mainly contribute to the evolution of Indian classical music and should not be disregarded when presenting the art form. It suggested that some form of acknowledgement be given to respect the legacy of the Dagarwani tradition. After senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Rahman, sought time to take instructions, the matter was posted for further hearing on February 20.
More about ‘Ponniyin Selvan 2’
‘Ponniyin Selvan 2’, directed by Mani Ratnam, featured a star-studded cast including Vikram, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Jayam Ravi, Karthi and Trisha. The song “Veera Raja Veera,” composed by A. R. Rahman, was written by Ilango Krishnan. Commercially, the film was a success as it was able to garner a total revenue of Rs 300 crore worldwide, which is among the highest grossing Tamil films in 2023.Disclaimer: This report is based on current judicial filings and reports from legal correspondents. As the matter is sub judice before the Supreme Court of India, all information regarding hearing dates and film certification is subject to change based on the court’s official orders. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or a guarantee of the film’s release date.
