Mumbai: India’s largest media and entertainment network, JioStar, has initiated legal proceedings against rival Zee Entertainment Enterprises over the alleged unauthorised telecast of several Bollywood films whose broadcast rights were held by the Reliance-Disney backed company, according to a Reuters report.
The dispute marks the latest escalation in an increasingly tense legal battle between two of India’s biggest broadcasters, who are already embroiled in a separate $1 billion arbitration in London linked to a failed cricket rights agreement from 2024.
According to legal documents reviewed by Reuters, JioStar filed a petition on May 4 before the Delhi High Court Legal Services Committee, alleging that Zee illegally broadcast 12 films nearly 20 times during the previous year despite the rights allegedly belonging to JioStar at the time.
The Reuters report stated that JioStar, formed through the $8.5 billion merger of Reliance Industries’ media assets and Disney’s India business in 2024, accused Zee of being a “habitual infringer” that continued to engage in “unauthorised broadcast and exploitation” of the films.
The matter is currently before the Delhi High Court Legal Services Committee, which handles mediation and settlement proceedings. Reuters reported that Zee has been directed to appear before the committee on May 25. Failure to participate could be treated as refusal to engage in mediation, potentially paving the way for formal court litigation.
The films at the centre of the dispute reportedly include iconic Bollywood titles such as Deewaar, starring Amitabh Bachchan, Tridev, and Dangal, the blockbuster featuring Aamir Khan. JioStar claims it possessed valid broadcast rights to these titles when Zee allegedly aired them without authorisation.
According to Reuters, Zee denied intentional wrongdoing and described the broadcasts as “inadvertent and unintentional”. The broadcaster also reportedly rejected liability for damages sought by JioStar.
In the case of Dangal, Zee argued that it had obtained permission from the film’s production house to telecast the movie.
The legal clash comes just weeks after Zee itself sued JioStar in April, accusing the company of using copyrighted music without valid licences after agreements had expired. In that suit, Zee reportedly sought damages of around $3 million, alleging its music content had been used at least 50 times without authorisation.
Reuters further reported that JioStar is likely to seek damages exceeding ₹250 million (around $2.61 million) in the current film rights dispute, although the final claim amount is yet to be determined.
The report noted that the Bollywood film conflict followed months of exchanges between the two companies, including more than a dozen legal notices and letters sent since February 2025.
The latest development also weighed on investor sentiment, with Zee shares reportedly extending losses and falling 3.4% during Mumbai trading after the Reuters story emerged.
JioStar currently commands a dominant position in India’s television market with a reported 34.2% share, while Zee claims its market share has climbed to a four-year high of 18%, reflecting intensifying competition in India’s nearly $30 billion media and entertainment sector.
