Singer Rapperiya Baalam hits back at music label over Mirzapur's Shoorveer row

Rajasthani musician Rapperiya Baalam has responded to Trouper Records' claim that his song Shoorveer was officially licensed to Excel Entertainment for use in Mirzapur: The Movie, saying the copyright and licensing rights remain with him. As Mirzapur: The Movie draws audiences to the theatres, Baalam has alleged that the song was used in a sequence depicting gangsters without his permission and without on-screen credit.Baalam told India Today that he was objecting both to the alleged unauthorised use of the song and to the way it was placed in the film. He said Shoorveer was created as a tribute to Maharana Pratap and should not have been used, in his view, as background music in a way that glorified villains.Responding to Trouper Records' social media statement, Baalam said, "I hold the copyright and licensing rights. You can verify this in the public domain; the song is registered in my name with the Registrar of Copyrights. The entire sound recording—audio, lyrics, music, and vocals—is registered to me. If they make a counter-claim, tell them that I have made my registration number public; it is there for everyone to see. They are merely the distributors." He expressed that he is an artist, singer and composer, and that artists need platforms to bring their songs to Spotify, YouTube Music and Instagram. The singer said that was the nature of his association with such platforms and distributors. Baalam added that he and his team had long been presenting Rajasthani culture and heritage through modern hip-hop fusion and would continue to do so, with the aim of making rooted songs.Referring to his earlier work, he said the Shoorveer series had also included songs on Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, and that the latter had received 400-500 million views. He said Shoorveer, too, was made as a tribute to Maharana-ji. Baalam added, "I would have had no objection if it were any other song. However, regarding this specific song, they should have considered the implications and sought permission before using it without a licence. I am simply asserting my rights."Trouper Records, in its statement on social media, said, "Trouper Records is pleased to share that ‘Shoorveer’ was officially licensed to Excel Entertainment for in-film use in Mirzapur: The Film. Congratulations to Excel Entertainment and the entire Mirzapur team on the release!"Why the objectionExplaining his objection, Baalam said in the same interview, "The way that song has been used amounts to a misuse. It involves religious sentiments and represents the pride of the entire nation; it is a song dedicated to Maharana Pratap."He further said, "I object to the manner in which the song has been used as background music to glorify villains. The song was used without my permission—it features my voice and my music, and I hold the copyright. A licence was granted without my consent, which is absolutely wrong."Baalam said the protest was not his alone. He said people across Rajasthan were opposing the use of the song and that he had also received support from across India. He added that the songs in the Shoorveer series were dedicated as a tribute to brave warriors who sacrificed everything for the country.Initial reaction of the rapperIn a video posted on Instagram, Baalam said, "Aaj to dil dukhaya hai (Today my heart is hurting)," adding that some people might ask why he was upset when his song had been featured in a film like Mirzapur. He said, "The team never took my permission to use the song. This song was dedicated to Maharana Pratap Singh, and you’re using it to glorify villains? Is this okay?"He also said that if the Mirzapur team had approached him after liking the song, he would have given them "ten such alternatives". "But to use it without permission, I do not know who you took the rights from. I am hurt because I feel like you’ve insulted Rajasthan and Maharana Pratap ji. It’s not something I can digest," he said.The controversy drew reactions online, with several social media users criticising the makers for using a song associated with Maharana Pratap in a gangster setting.Mirzapur: The Movie is based on the 2018 Prime Video series Mirzapur. The film credits John Stewart Eduri for the score, while Ray, Junaid Kumar, Anand Bhaskar and Dhanda Nyoliwala are credited for the music. Directed by Gurmeet Singh and written by Puneet Krishna, it is produced by Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar under Excel Entertainment, and stars Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, Divyenndu, Jitendra Kumar and Ravi Kishan.- EndsPublished By: Priyanka SharmaPublished On: Sep 10, 2026 16:39 IST