India's Zee Entertainment Enterprises has filed a lawsuit against the Reliance-Disney joint venture, alleging unauthorised use of its copyrighted music after licensing agreements expired, according to court documents seen by Reuters.
The suit, filed in New Delhi on April 14, seeks $3 million in damages and claims that the JV, operating as JioStar, used Zee's music content across its TV channels and streaming platform without valid licences.
Zee alleged in its filing that its works were used at least 50 times after agreements lapsed in 2024 and 2025 and were not renewed due to commercial disagreements.
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“The illegal exploitation thereof amounted to copyright infringement,” the company said, urging the court to restrain any ongoing usage.
The case marks the latest flashpoint between Zee and the $8.5 billion media entity formed by Reliance Industries and The Walt Disney Company in 2024, highlighting intensifying disputes over content rights amid consolidation in India's media landscape.
Both Zee and JioStar declined to comment on the litigation.
The matter briefly came up for hearing on Tuesday, where the court directed JioStar to ensure no further infringement of Zee's works and to comply within 15 days, a source with direct knowledge told Reuters. The next hearing is scheduled for July 23.
JioStar, which operates the streaming platform JioHotstar with around 500 million monthly users, owns a vast library of shows and sports broadcasting rights. Zee, one of India's oldest media firms, claims ownership of over 19,450 songs across 17 languages.
The dispute also runs parallel to arbitration proceedings in London, where Reliance is seeking $1 billion in damages from Zee over a terminated cricket licensing deal. Zee has denied any wrongdoing and is contesting the claim.
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Court filings reveal that both parties have exchanged multiple legal notices in recent months. In a December communication, JioStar said it had “taken extensive steps to remove any infringing content across its portfolio,” including legacy programming.
However, it argued that “residual and passive archival hosting did not amount to infringement or unlawful communication” — a stance Zee disputes.
In a March 16 letter, JioStar said it “categorically rejects” Zee's “coercive demands” for damages but added that it “remains open to an amicable and commercially sensible solution.”
The lawsuit comes amid a broader enforcement push by Zee. Reuters reported earlier that the company has also sued Nykaa, alleging unauthorised use of its songs in promotional Instagram reels, seeking $210,000 in damages.
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