Synopsis
Zee Entertainment and JioStar India are heading to mediation to resolve a music copyright dispute. Zee sued JioStar for alleged unauthorized use of its music. The Delhi High Court has ordered both companies to attempt an amicable settlement. JioStar must not use Zee’s licensed works while the mediation is ongoing. The next hearing is scheduled for July 23.
ReutersNew Delhi: The Delhi High Court has asked Zee Entertainment Enterprises and JioStar India to resolve their music copyright dispute through mediation.
Zee has sued JioStar, seeking $3 million in damages for the alleged unauthorised use and exploitation of works from its music division on the Reliance-Disney streaming platform, JioStar, and on some of its television channels.
Also Read: Zee Entertainment sues Reliance-Disney over alleged music copyright breach
Justice Tejas Karia, noting that both sides were willing to explore an amicable settlement, referred the matter to mediation. In an order dated May 5, the court also sought JioStar’s response to Zee’s petition and said that if Zee identifies any of its licensed works on JioStar’s platforms, it should notify the company, which would then remove the content.
In the meantime, the court asked JioStar, a joint venture of Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries, not to use, publish, broadcast, stream, upload, or make copies of any licensed works in which Zee Entertainment holds an exclusive copyright. The matter will next be heard on July 23.
The case adds to the series of legal disputes involving the Reliance-Disney media entity created through the merger of Viacom18’s media business, JioCinema and Star India in 2024.
Zee said JioStar had been a licensee under agreements signed in 2017 and 2020, both of which have expired. Under the agreements, JioStar was required to stop using or exploiting Zee’s licensed works after expiry or termination.
According to Zee, its works were used at least 50 times after the agreements lapsed in 2024 and 2025 and were not renewed because of commercial disagreements. “The illegal exploitation thereof amounted to copyright infringement,” Zee said in its petition.
While Zee asked JioStar to discontinue use of the licensed work, the latter allegedly continued to host content involving the licensed work and had been removing it upon Zee’s identification.
In November 2025, JioStar India proposed a one-month extension as a precautionary measure to cover any inadvertent use of Zee’s licensed work on the platform. However, instances of alleged infringement of the licensed work by JioStar India have continued, Zee claimed.
Also Read: JioStar ups damage claim to over $1 billion in ICC rights arbitration with Zee
However, JioStar, which operates major assets like JioHotstar streaming platform, has disputed the claims, saying the acts were unintentional and purely residual in nature and the matter is a fit case for resolution through mediation. It said it had already removed substantial volumes of Zee Entertainment’s licensed work from its platform, and that, given the nature of its platform, the company may not be in a position to identify each instance of the alleged infringement.
Zee and Reliance are also locked in a separate arbitration proceeding in London, where Reliance is seeking $1 billion in damages from Zee over the collapse of a cricket broadcasting rights deal in 2024.
Zee has also filed a copyright violation case against FSN E-Commerce Ventures, the owner of beauty and fashion retailer Nykaa, in the high court. Zee has alleged that the company used its songs in about a dozen promotional Instagram reels without obtaining licences or permission.
