'Ponniyin Selvan II' copyright row: A R Rahman's lawyer clarifies authorship, originality, and alleged infringement remain open until proven in the court

CHENNAI: A day after it was reported that music director A R Rahman had informed the Supreme Court that he is willing to display late Ustad M Faiyazuddin Dagar and his nephew in the credits to the song Veera Raja Veera from the film Ponniyin Selvan II, Rahman's advocate has issued a clarification stating that the claims of authorship by the junior Dagar Brothers over the composition of 'Shiva Stuti' and the allegations of copyright infringement have been categorically denied and disputed.

"These positions, as upheld by the division bench of the Delhi high court, remain fully intact and unaffected by the clarification to the credits given before the apex court," Rahman's advocate Narmadha Sampath said in a note released to the media.

The Supreme Court (SC) has disposed of the SLP filed by Ustad Faiyaz Wasifuddin Dagar challenging the judgment of the division bench of the Delhi high court. The SC did not interfere with the judgment of the division bench of the Delhi high court and has not expressed any view on the merits of the dispute, she said.

"During the hearing, the SC encouraged the parties to explore an amicable resolution. In that context, it was indicated that the existing credit accompanying the composition, which had previously acknowledged the Dagarvani
Dhrupad tradition across all platforms would be supplemented to state that the junior Dagar Brothers were the first to record the composition 'Shiva Stuti'," the note added.

The acknowledgment of the Dagarvani tradition was a pre-existing and voluntary credit reflected well before any proceedings were initiated and independent of any interim orders passed in the suit, she pointed out.

"In the suit proceedings pending before the Delhi high court, the claims of authorship by the junior Dagar Brothers over
the composition and the allegations of copyright infringement have been categorically denied and disputed. These positions, as upheld by the division bench of the Delhi high court, remain fully intact and unaffected by the aforesaid clarification to the credits," Narmadha Sampath said.

All questions relating to authorship, originality, and alleged infringement remain open until proven in the court and will be
determined in accordance with law, the note concluded.