India's Zee Entertainment has sued the Reliance-Disney joint venture, the country's biggest entertainment company. According to court documents, Zee alleges that the venture used Zee's copyrighted music after licence agreements expired. Zee is seeking $3 million in damages, alleging unauthorized use and exploitation of works from its music division on the Reliance-Disney streaming platform and some of its TV channels. The lawsuit, filed in New Delhi marks the latest legal clash between Zee and the group formed from Reliance and Disney's $8.5 billion merger in 2024.
The dispute underscores rising tensions over content rights as India's streaming and broadcast market consolidates.
Zee and Reliance are already locked in arbitration in London, where Reliance is seeking $1 billion in damages from Zee for quitting a cricket licensing deal in â 2024. Zee denies any wrongdoing and is contesting the demand.
In its 1,800-page lawsuit filed on April 14, Zee alleges that Reliance-Disney used its music at least 50 times after certain licensing agreements expired in â 2024 and 2025 and were not renewed due to disagreements over commercial terms.
"The illegal exploitation thereof amounted to copyright infringement," Zee said in the filing, asking the court to stop any ongoing infringements of its music works.
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