Can songs derived from classical music compositions infringe Copyright? Delhi High Court answers in AR Rahman case

Delhi High Court answered in the affirmative in the AR Rahman case, stating that songs derived from classical music compositions can infringe copyright. The court clarified that while classical music compositions themselves may be in the public domain, a new song created by significantly adapting or incorporating substantial elements of such a work can be protected by copyright, and unauthorized use of these protected elements would constitute infringement. This ruling has implications for the music industry regarding the use of classical music in contemporary compositions.