The legal battle between media giants JioStar and Zee Entertainment Enterprises appears to be intensifying. According to an exclusive Reuters report, JioStar has initiated legal proceedings against Zee Entertainment over the alleged unauthorised broadcast of several Bollywood films whose rights were reportedly held by the Reliance-Disney backed company.
As per the report, JioStar filed a plea on May 4 before the Delhi High Court Legal Services Committee, which functions as a mediation and dispute resolution body aimed at facilitating amicable settlements between parties. The matter is now scheduled for hearing on May 25, with Zee being asked to appear before the committee. The documents reportedly state that failure to appear could be treated as refusal to participate in the mediation process.
In its reported 120-page plea, JioStar has accused Zee of broadcasting 12 distinct Bollywood films around 20 times without authorisation. The films allegedly include titles featuring superstars Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan. The Reliance-led company reportedly described Zee as a “habitual infringer” and alleged that the broadcaster continued to “engage in the unauthorised broadcast and exploitation of the films”.
The Reuters report further stated that the dispute over these film rights dates back to exchanges of more than a dozen legal notices and letters between the two companies since February 2025. Sources familiar with the matter reportedly claimed that JioStar may seek damages exceeding Rs 250 million, which is approximately $2.61 million, although the final compensation amount has not yet been confirmed.
Among the films reportedly mentioned in the plea are the 1975 classic Deewaar starring Amitabh Bachchan, as well as Tridev. JioStar has claimed it owns the rights to these films and alleged that Zee aired them without permission.
Zee, however, reportedly responded by stating that the broadcasts were “inadvertent and unintentional”. The company also said it would exercise caution moving forward, while denying liability for the damages being sought.
This latest development comes at a time when the two entertainment giants are already involved in multiple legal disputes. The report noted that both companies are currently engaged in a separate $1 billion arbitration battle in London linked to the collapse of a cricket licensing agreement in 2024.
In another ongoing dispute, Zee Entertainment reportedly filed a lawsuit against JioStar in April 2026 over alleged unauthorised use of copyrighted music. In that case, Zee is reportedly seeking damages of $3 million, alleging that JioStar used its music content at least 50 times after licensing agreements had expired.
JioStar was formed following the $8.5 billion merger of Reliance Industries and Disney’s Indian media assets in 2024. The company currently remains the largest player in India’s estimated $30 billion media and entertainment market. According to Reliance, JioStar commands a 34.2 per cent share of the Indian television market, while Zee claims its own market share has reached a four-year high of 18 per cent.
Neither JioStar nor Zee Entertainment officially commented on the matter.
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