Zee Leisure Enterprises has filed a lawsuit in opposition to JioStar, the Reliance-Disney three way partnership, alleging unauthorised use of its copyrighted music throughout tv and streaming platforms after licensing agreements expired.

Zee is searching for $3 million in damages in a case filed on the Delhi Excessive Courtroom on 14 April. The corporate alleges that JioStar continued to make use of songs from its music catalogue after agreements lapsed in 2024 and 2025, in line with Reuters report.

The dispute centres on using Zee’s music content material on JioHotstar and several other tv channels operated by JioStar, the Reliance-Disney media enterprise fashioned in 2024 via the merger of Viacom18 and Star India property

In its courtroom submitting, Zee alleged that JioStar used its music content material a minimum of 50 instances after the licences had expired and negotiations over renewed industrial phrases failed, the report mentioned.

“The unlawful exploitation thereof amounted to copyright infringement,” Zee mentioned within the submitting, whereas asking the courtroom to cease any ongoing use of its music works.

JioStar operates one in all India’s largest media companies, spanning leisure and sports activities content material throughout tv and digital platforms. JioHotstar reportedly has round 500 million month-to-month customers.

It owns a list of greater than 19,450 songs in 17 languages, Zee mentioned.

The Delhi Excessive Courtroom briefly heard the case earlier this week and directed JioStar to make sure there was no ongoing infringement of Zee’s content material whereas proceedings proceed. The subsequent listening to is scheduled for 23 July.

The 2 firms exchanged authorized notices and held discussions over the disputed content material in current months, the report mentioned.

In a communication despatched in December, JioStar mentioned it had “taken intensive steps to take away any infringing content material throughout its portfolio”, together with older programming.

Nevertheless, it argued that residual archival internet hosting didn’t quantity to copyright infringement, a declare disputed by Zee.

In one other letter dated 16 March, JioStar reportedly “categorically rejected” Zee’s demand for damages, whereas saying it remained open to “an amicable and commercially wise resolution”.

The case provides to a wider authorized dispute between Zee and Reliance.

The businesses are already concerned in arbitration proceedings in London over the collapse of a cricket broadcasting rights settlement, with Reliance searching for $1 billion in damages from Zee.

Individually, Zee has also sued beauty and fashion retailer Nykaa, alleging that the corporate used copyrighted songs in promotional Instagram reels with out permission.

Zee argued that whereas its settlement with Meta permits people to make use of its songs for non-commercial functions on Instagram, Nykaa used a number of tracks in promotional content material aimed toward customers.

The corporate is searching for about Rs 2 crore in damages in that case, which is subsequent as a consequence of be heard on 26 Might.