Rapperiya Baalam Sends Legal Notice to Mirzapur Makers Over ‘Shoorveer’ Copyright Row, Makes 3 Demands
Mirzapur: The controversy surrounding Mirzapur: The Movie and the song “Shoorveer” has now moved into the legal arena.
Independent artiste Rapperiya Baalam has sent a legal notice to Excel Entertainment, alleging that his song, dedicated to Maharana Pratap, was used in the film without his permission. He has demanded that the song be removed, an apology be issued and that the makers build a school in Maharana Pratap’s name.
The dispute began after Rapperiya Baalam publicly objected to the use of “Shoorveer” in Mirzapur: The Movie. He particularly took issue with the song being used alongside scenes involving Munna Bhaiyya, a character associated with violence, abuse and drugs.
Rapperiya Baalam claims that he owns the copyright to the song, although the track was originally released on the Trouper Records channel. The music label, however, has disputed his claims.
Rapperiya Baalam Claims Copyright Ownership
According to the artiste’s brother and spokesperson, Rapperiya Baalam had previously worked closely with Trouper Records. While he was not formally listed as a partner at the time, the family claims there was an understanding that he would eventually become a 50 per cent partner in the company.
The family alleges that “Shoorveer” and several other songs were released before that proposed partnership was formalised and that Rapperiya Baalam was not paid for those tracks.
His brother further claimed that no No Objection Certificate (NOC) was ever signed regarding the songs.
Rapperiya Baalam later launched his own channel and obtained copyright documentation for the songs in his legal name, Ashok Manda, the family said.
According to his brother, copyright documents for “Shoorveer” are held in Ashok Manda’s name, along with documentation covering subsequent songs in the “Shoorveer” series. The family also claims to have an NOC from the song’s writer.
Why the Song’s Use in Mirzapur Has Upset Him
For Rapperiya Baalam, the dispute is about more than ownership of a song.
The “Shoorveer” series was created with the intention of introducing younger audiences to Indian history and legendary figures through rap music. The family says the songs were meant to educate children about historical personalities, including Maharana Pratap.
That is why the artiste objects strongly to the song being used in connection with Munna Bhaiyya.
The family believes placing a song celebrating Maharana Pratap alongside a fictional character portrayed as violent and involved in drugs could create the wrong association for younger viewers.
They have described the use of the track in this context as disrespectful to Maharana Pratap and Rajasthani culture.
The family has also questioned how the song was licensed for the movie if, as they claim, Rapperiya Baalam holds the copyright.
Family Says It Contacted Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani
Rapperiya Baalam and his family said they attempted to reach out to Mirzapur producers Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani.
According to the family, Farhan Akhtar did not respond, while Ritesh Sidhwani’s team indicated that someone would contact them.
The family, however, said it wants to speak directly with the producers and understand why the song was selected for the film.
Their primary demand remains the removal of “Shoorveer” from Mirzapur: The Movie.
Three Demands in the Legal Notice
With the legal notice now sent to Excel Entertainment, Rapperiya Baalam has laid out three key demands:
- Remove “Shoorveer” from the film.
- Issue a public apology over its use.
- Build a school in Maharana Pratap’s name, where children can learn about Indian history and prominent historical figures.
The third demand is particularly unusual and reflects the artiste’s stated motivation behind the “Shoorveer” series.
Rapperiya Baalam has maintained that the songs were created with the next generation in mind and were intended to make history more accessible to young people.
The legal dispute is now set to determine the competing copyright claims, while the controversy over the song’s use in the film has added another layer to the ongoing conversation around Mirzapur: The Movie.
News Source : Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.
