SC asks AR Rahman to have ‘some acknowledgement’ of Dagarwani traditions

The Supreme Court on Friday asked music composer AR Rahman and the makers of the film “Ponniyin Selvan 2” to have “some acknowledgement” of the Dagarwani tradition’s contribution in the film’s song “Veera Raja Veera”.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi was hearing a plea by Dhrupad vocalist Ustad Faiyaz Wasifuddin Dagar against the September 2025 Delhi High Court’s order, which said there was no prima facie evidence of the Junior Dagar Brothers being the authors of a classical rendition of ‘Shiv Stuti’.

Faiyaz Wasifuddin Dagar, the son of Faiyazuddin Dagar and nephew of Zahiruddin Dagar, had contended before the High Court that he held the copyright in all original compositions of Junior Dagar Brothers, including ‘Shiv Stuti’, which had been unlawfully infringed upon.

During the proceedings on Friday, the bench told Dagar’s counsel, “First performance does not necessarily mean authorship. Your case is more of an inference from the first performance that it is authorship. The issue is whether you were the creator or got it from the Dagar tradition and sang it for the first time.” To this, the lawyer said, “I am claiming rights over one particular composition. My right is in composition. My father and brother had created it.”

The bench then asked Dagar’s counsel whether he was claiming the “originality of the raga”, to which he said that the right was in composition and not the way of singing.

The apex court then underlined that the Dagarwani tradition’s contribution needs to be acknowledged.

“The originality of the tune is undisputed. If these gharanas had not contributed to the shastriya sangeet (classical music), do you think these modern singers would have managed,” the bench told Rahman’s counsel, senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi.

Singhvi said that no objection had been raised during previous renditions. “But during our rendition, he (Dagar) objected,” the senior advocate said. “See, there should be some acknowledgement. They are traditional worshippers of classical music. He is not in the competitive domain. They want respect and recognition,” the bench said.

After Singhvi sought time to take instructions, the court posted the hearing for February 20.