The Zee-JioStar Copyright Battle

Synopsis

Zee Entertainment has appealed to the Delhi High Court to initiate proceedings against JioStar, alleging that despite a court order stripping the Reliance-Disney joint venture, they have continued to use Zee’s copyrighted music. The recent case has led to a copyright issue that began earlier this year and adds another dimension to the increasingly competitive battle over content rights in India’s rapidly concentrating media and streaming market.

Zee Alleges Copyright Violation

The case was filed on September 21, 2026 alleges that JioStar has been guilty of “wilful disobedience” because it has continued to use Zee’s music and songs in programmes broadcasted across its platforms in total of six instances as pointed out by them despite the order that has been imposed upon them by the court.

The copyright case was heard on Friday, September 25, 2026, where the Delhi High Court asked JioStar to respond to Zee’s latest allegations against them. The next hearing of the case is scheduled for December 2026.

The dispute between the two first began earlier this year in April when Zee sought $3 million in damages, citing 50 copyright violations. In May 2026, the Delhi High Court ordered JioStar not to “use, publish, broadcast, stream, upload” any of Zee’s licensed works.

JioStar’s lawyers had previously informed the court that the alleged infringements were “unintentional” and “purely residual in nature”. The company said in May 2026 that it had already removed a lot of the content of Zee following the expiry of the agreement between them.

Why This Fight Matters

The dispute comes as India’s media industry undergoes significant merging, putting content libraries, broadcasting rights and streaming assets at the centre of competition.

JioStar was initially created from the $8.5 billion merger of Reliance and Disney’s Indian media assets back in 2024. Backed by billionaire Mukesh Ambani, it went on to become India’s largest media and entertainment company, with a total of 34.2% television share and millions of streaming users.

On the other hand, Zee has a smaller share of the television market at around 18%, but its music library includes more than 19,450 songs. This makes both the intellectual property and content rights extremely important for both the companies, particularly as broadcasters operate more across television, streaming and digital platforms.

The Companies Are Also Fighting on Other Fronts

The current copyright dispute is not the only legal battle between the two sides. JioStar has previously challenged Zee over the alleged unauthorised telecast of Bollywood films whose rights they had already claimed beforehand. The two companies are therefore already sharing allegations against each other over the use and ownership of content.

Another deal that remains unresolved is a separate London judgement over a collapsed cricket deal, with Reliance seeking $1 billion.

These disputes further portray as to how the competition between the leading media companies in India are already extending beyond the share of advertisements and audiences and entering the field of ownership over their own content.

For Zee, the latest petition seeks to enforce the Delhi High Court’s May injunction and challenge what it alleges were subsequent violations.

For JioStar, the company now has to respond to Zee’s latest allegations before the court, while the broader dispute continues to play out against the backdrop of a rapidly consolidating Indian media market.