In the grand tapestry of Mani Ratnam's Ponniyin Selvan II (2023), the song Veera Raja Veera stands out as a pulsating anthem of valor and devotion, composed by A.R. Rahman with lyrics by Ilango Krishnan and vocals by Shankar Mahadevan, K.S. Chithra, Harini, and others.
Yet, beneath its cinematic grandeur lies a profound connection to Hindustani classical music's ancient Dhrupad tradition, specifically the composition Shiva Stuti.
The song, one of the highlights of Mani Ratnam’s 2023 epic, has been at the center of a major copyright and moral rights dispute involving Dhrupad maestro and Padma Shri awardee Ustad Faiyaz Wasifuddin Dagar.
This Shiva Stuti was originally composed and popularized in the 1970s by the renowned Junior Dagar Brothers:
- Late Ustad Nasir Faiyazuddin Dagar (father of Ustad Wasifuddin Dagar)
- Late Ustad Nasir Zahiruddin Dagar (uncle)
It belongs to the Dagarvani Tradition of Dhrupad and is set in Raga Adana.
In the film credits and on music platforms (Spotify, YouTube, etc.), the song is currently credited only as: "Composition Based on a Dagarvani Tradition Dhrupad"
Ustad Faiyaz Wasifuddin Dagar has long argued that this credit is too generic and vague. He claims the specific musical structure, taal, and melodic phrases used in “Veera Raja Veera” are directly taken from his father and uncle’s original composition, and that the Dagar family deserves specific credit as composers.