Reliance-Disney launch legal battle against Indian TV rival over Bollywood films

NEW DELHI: India’s JioStar, the TV and online entertainment venture of Reliance and Walt Disney, has initiated legal measures against rival Zee Entertainment for alleged unauthorised broadcast of Bollywood films it has the rights to, documents show.

Billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s JioStar is the No. 1 player in India’s vibrant $30 billion media and entertainment industry, while Zee, one of India’s oldest media groups, is a smaller rival. They are already locked in a $1 billion arbitration in London over a collapsed cricket licensing deal in 2024.

In April, Zee sued JioStar in a Delhi court for unauthorized use of its copyrighted music. In an apparent tit-for-tat move, JioStar filed a case on May 4 with a legal mediation committee challenging Zee’s broadcast of some Bollywood movies last year even though their rights at the time vested with the Reliance-led entity, according to legal documents reviewed by Reuters.

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JioStar alleges Zee telecast 12 distinct films around 20 times, including some blockbusters starring popular Bollywood film actors like Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan.

Zee “is a habitual infringer”, JioStar said in its 120-page plea, accusing Zee of continuing to “engage in the unauthorized broadcast and exploitation of the films”.

The filing has not been reported previously.

The plea was filed at the Delhi High Court Legal Services Committee, which provides a dispute resolution mechanism aimed at amicable settlements. If it is unresolved, JioStar could escalate the case to a court.

The documents said the committee has asked Zee to appear before it on May 25, adding that a failure to do so will be considered a refusal to participate in the mediation.

Shares in Zee extended losses after the Reuters story, falling 3.4% in Mumbai trading.

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JioStar, formed from Reliance and Disney’s $8.5 billion merger of their Indian media assets in 2024, and Zee both declined to comment.

Big players, many legal notices

JioStar and Zee reach hundreds of millions of viewers through scores of TV channels and a streaming platform each. Reliance says JioStar has a 34.2% market share of India’s TV market, while Zee says its share is at a four-year high of 18%.

In the music case filed in April, Zee is seeking $3 million from JioStar for allegedly using its music at least 50 times after certain licensing agreements expired.

Two sources with direct knowledge said JioStar is likely to seek upwards of 250 million rupees ($2.61 million) for alleged infringement of its rights to the Bollywood films, though a number is yet to be finalised.

The Bollywood film case reached the court committee stage after the two sides exchanged more than a dozen legal notices and letters starting February 2025, documents show.

The films involved include runaway hits like the 1975 Deewaar (Wall), starring Amitabh Bachchan, and Tridev (Trinity). Jio said it has the rights to these films and Zee allegedly broadcast them without having permission to do so.

Zee said the broadcasts were “inadvertent and unintentional” and it would exercise due caution, but declined any liability for damages that Reliance was seeking.

JioStar has also accused Zee of unauthorised broadcast of Aamir Khan starrer Dangal (Wrestling Bout). The 2016 movie, based on a real-life Indian wrestler, was a big Bollywood hit and won several awards.

Zee denied any wrongdoing, and argued it had permission from the production house to broadcast the movie.