Zee Entertainment Enterprises has initiated legal action against JioStar, the joint venture formed by Reliance Industries and The Walt Disney Company, alleging unauthorised use of its copyrighted music content. The lawsuit, filed in a New Delhi court on April 14, seeks damages of approximately $3 million and calls for an immediate halt to any ongoing infringement.
According to court documents reviewed by Reuters, Zee has claimed that 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,” and urged the court to restrain further use of its works.
The dispute is part of a broader series of legal disagreements between the two entities following the $8.5 billion merger that brought together Reliance and Disney’s media operations in India. JioStar currently operates a large portfolio of television channels and the streaming platform JioHotstar, which reportedly reaches around 500 million monthly users. Zee, one of India’s long-established media networks, maintains a catalogue of over 19,000 songs across multiple languages.
During a recent hearing, the court directed JioStar to ensure that no further infringement occurs while the case is under consideration and asked the company 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 that it had taken “extensive steps to remove any infringing content,” including legacy programming. It also argued that residual archival hosting does not constitute unlawful use, a claim that Zee has contested.
The case also comes at a time when both parties are engaged in arbitration proceedings in London over a separate dispute related to a cricket rights agreement, where Reliance is reportedly seeking $1 billion in damages from Zee.
Industry observers note that the lawsuit highlights increasing friction over content ownership and licensing as India’s media and streaming landscape continues to consolidate. The outcome of the case could have wider implications for how intellectual property rights are managed across platforms in the evolving entertainment ecosystem.
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