India’s Zee Entertainment has filed a lawsuit against the Reliance-Disney joint venture, India’s largest entertainment company, accusing it of using Zee’s copyrighted music after licensing agreements had expired, according to court documents reviewed by Reuters.
Zee is seeking $3 million in damages, alleging that songs from its music division were used without authorization on the Reliance-Disney streaming platform and several television channels after the agreements lapsed.
The case, filed in a New Delhi court and reported for the first time by Reuters, marks the latest legal dispute between Zee and the entertainment giant created through the $8.5 billion merger of Reliance and Disney in 2024. The conflict highlights growing tensions over content ownership and licensing rights as India’s streaming and broadcasting industry becomes increasingly consolidated.
Both Zee and JioStar, the Reliance-Disney venture backed by billionaire Mukesh Ambani, declined to comment on the matter.
The two companies are already involved in arbitration proceedings in London, where Reliance is seeking $1 billion in damages from Zee over the collapse of a cricket licensing agreement in 2024. Zee has denied any wrongdoing and is contesting the claim.
In its 1,800-page lawsuit filed on April 14, Zee alleges that Reliance-Disney continued using its music catalog at least 50 times after licensing agreements expired in 2024 and 2025, without renewing them due to disagreements over commercial terms.
“The illegal exploitation thereof amounted to copyright infringement,” Zee stated in the filing, while requesting the court to halt any continued unauthorized use of its music content.
JioStar operates a vast entertainment library that includes thousands of television shows, major sporting event broadcast rights, and the streaming platform JioHotstar, which reportedly has around 500 million monthly users in India.
Zee, one of India’s oldest media companies, owns multiple television channels and a streaming platform, and says its music catalog includes more than 19,450 songs across 17 languages.
Reliance rejects compensation claim
The matter was briefly heard on Tuesday, when the judge directed JioStar to ensure that no ongoing infringement of Zee’s music takes place across its platforms while the case proceeds. According to a source familiar with the matter, the company has been asked to comply within 15 days.
The next hearing is scheduled for July 23.
The lawsuit is part of Zee’s wider effort to protect its music catalog from alleged misuse. Reuters also reported this week that Zee sued Nykaa, accusing the retailer of using copyrighted songs in Instagram reels promoting products, and seeking damages of about $210,000.
In the case against JioStar, Zee alleges its music was used in television dance and music shows aired on TV channels as well as the streaming platform.
Court documents show that Zee and JioStar exchanged several legal notices and held multiple discussions in recent months regarding the disputed content usage.
In December, JioStar informed Zee that it had “taken extensive steps to remove any infringing content across its portfolio,” including older programming.
However, the company argued that passive archival hosting of legacy content did not constitute infringement or unlawful communication — a claim Zee disputes in court filings.
In a March 16 letter cited in the documents, JioStar said it “categorically rejects” Zee’s “coercive demands” for damages, while adding that it remains open to “an amicable and commercially sensible solution.”
