Zee Entertainment files Rs 25 crore lawsuit against JioStar for copyright infringement

Zee Entertainment Enterprises has filed a lawsuit against JioStar in a New Delhi court alleging unauthorised use of copyrighted music content, seeking damages of approximately $3 million (Rs 25 crore). The case was filed on April 14.

According to court documents reviewed by Reuters, Zee claims its music catalogue was used at least 50 times across television programmes and streaming content on JioStar's platforms after licensing agreements expired in 2024 and 2025. The company stated in its filing that "the illegal exploitation thereof amounted to copyright infringement."

JioStar is the joint venture formed through the $8.5 billion merger of Reliance Industries and The Walt Disney Company's media operations in India. The platform operates JioHotstar, which reaches approximately 500 million monthly users. Zee Entertainment Enterprises maintains a catalogue of over 19,000 songs across multiple languages.

During a recent hearing, the court directed JioStar to ensure no further infringement occurs while the case remains under consideration. The company was asked to comply within 15 days. The next hearing is scheduled for July 23.

JioStar has denied the allegations and rejected Zee's demand for damages. In earlier correspondence cited in court filings, the company stated it had taken "extensive steps to remove any infringing content," including legacy programming. JioStar argued that residual archival hosting does not constitute unlawful use — a claim Zee has contested.

Both parties are separately engaged in arbitration proceedings in London over a dispute related to a cricket rights agreement. In those proceedings, Reliance is reportedly seeking $1 billion in damages from Zee.

The lawsuit comes as India's media and streaming landscape continues to consolidate, raising questions about how intellectual property rights are managed across platforms. The outcome could have wider implications for content licensing practices in the sector.

[LEGAL CAUTION NOTE: This is an active legal matter. The article presents allegations by Zee Entertainment Enterprises and denials by JioStar as stated in court filings. No determination of guilt or liability has been made by the court.]