

In a relief to music director AR Rahman and the makers of film ‘Ponniyin Selvan 2’, the Delhi High Court on Wednesday set aside an order directing them to deposit `2 crore in a copyright lawsuit over classical rendition of ‘Shiv Stuti’, saying there was no prima facie evidence of the Junior Dagar Brothers being the authors of the composition. A bench of Justices C Hari Shankar and Om Prakash Shukla said the High Court single judge ‘erred’ on principle in treating evidence of the Junior Dagar Brothers having rendered, and performed, the Shiva Stuti suit composition as prima facie evidence of their having composed it. ‘At a plain glance, it is apparent that the material on which the Single Judge has placed reliance, though considerable, only reflect the Junior Dagar Brothers as having rendered, or performed, the suit composition Shiva Stuti at various points of time. The Junior Dagar Brothers have never been named, shown or identified, in any jacket, literature or Inlay Card, as the composers of the suit composition,’ the order said.