India's Zee Entertainment has launched a legal action against the Reliance-Disney joint venture, known as JioStar, alleging unauthorised use of music once licensed to the broadcaster, according to court filings. The suit, filed in New Delhi on April 14, seeks $3 million in damages for what Zee describes as continued exploitation of works from its music division after licence agreements expired.
The complaint runs to roughly 1,800 pages and details Zee's claim that recordings and compositions from its catalogue were used on JioStar’s streaming platform and on several of the joint venture’s television channels following the termination of certain licence arrangements in 2024 and 2025. Zee contends that those licences were not renewed because the parties could not agree on commercial terms.
In its filing, Zee says the alleged unauthorised use occurred at least 50 times across music and dance shows broadcast on TV and streamed on the JioHotstar platform. Zee has asked the court to stop any ongoing infringements of its works and to award damages for the alleged copyright violations.
JioStar, the Reliance-Disney venture led by Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani's Reliance, operates a large programming library and holds broadcast rights for major sporting events across its channels and its streaming service, JioHotstar. JioHotstar is identified in court papers as India’s largest streaming service with about 500 million monthly users. Zee, one of the country's older media groups, operates multiple television channels and a streaming app and says its music catalogue includes more than 19,450 songs across 17 languages.
The lawsuit is part of a wider pattern of legal friction between Zee and the group formed after Reliance and Disney merged in a deal valued at $8.5 billion in 2024. Separately, the two sides are also in arbitration in London, where Reliance has sought $1 billion in damages from Zee over Zee's withdrawal from a cricket licensing agreement in 2024. Zee denies wrongdoing and is contesting that claim.
Court activity over the new complaint occurred briefly on Tuesday, when a judge instructed JioStar to ensure that any ongoing infringement of Zee’s music works on its platforms be halted while proceedings continue. The judge gave JioStar 15 days to comply with that direction, according to a source with direct knowledge of the matter. The next court hearing in the case is scheduled for July 23.
The filings indicate the parties have communicated in recent months, exchanging letters and legal notices over the disputed use of the music. Court documents show that in December, JioStar told Zee it had "taken extensive steps to remove any infringing content across its portfolio," including legacy programming. JioStar has asserted that any residual or passive archival hosting did not constitute infringement or unlawful communication, a position Zee disputes in its complaint.
In a letter dated March 16, JioStar described the demands for damages as "coercive" and said it "categorically rejects" them, while also stating it "remains open to an amicable and commercially sensible solution," according to the court papers.
The suit is the latest instance in which Zee has moved to enforce what it regards as the rights to its music catalogue. Court papers reviewed by Reuters also show Zee has pursued other claims recently, including a suit against retailer Nykaa alleging the use of Zee’s copyrighted songs in social media reels, where Zee is seeking $210,000 in damages.
Context and scope
The dispute highlights tensions over content rights and licensing as India’s broadcast and streaming sectors consolidate. Both broadcasters and streaming services rely on access to music and programme rights to populate channels and apps, and disagreements over renewal terms can prompt legal remedies when parties believe works are being used beyond agreed permissions.
Summary
Zee Entertainment has sued JioStar, the Reliance-Disney joint venture, alleging at least 50 instances of unauthorised use of Zee’s music after licences expired. Zee seeks $3 million and has asked the court to halt further exploitation of its works. The case adds to a suite of legal actions involving Zee and the Reliance-led entity, including separate arbitration over a cricket licence dispute.
Key points
- Zee filed an 1,800-page lawsuit on April 14 seeking $3 million, alleging at least 50 instances of post-expiry use of its music on JioStar platforms and channels.
- The case was briefly heard in court where a judge ordered JioStar to ensure no ongoing infringement and to comply within 15 days; the next hearing is set for July 23.
- The dispute sits alongside other legal proceedings between Zee and Reliance, including London arbitration in which Reliance seeks $1 billion related to a cricket licensing dispute.
Risks and uncertainties
- Legal outcome uncertainty - The court has been asked to stop ongoing use and award damages, but the final judgment and its financial or operational consequences for either party remain unresolved. This affects media companies and content licensors.
- Ongoing arbitration and litigation - Parallel legal actions, including the London arbitration over a cricket licence, create broader uncertainty for contractual relationships and rights management in broadcasting and streaming.
- Content hosting interpretation - Disagreements over whether residual or passive archival hosting constitutes infringement could have implications for how broadcasters and platforms manage legacy content libraries.
Tags: media, streaming, music, legal, broadcasting