Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL) has initiated two separate copyright infringement cases over the alleged unauthorised use of its sound recordings by Nykaa and JioStar India.
In one matter, Zee Entertainment has sued beauty and fashion retailer Nykaa in the Delhi High Court over the alleged use of copyrighted songs in branded Instagram reels without commercial authorisation. According to court documents reviewed by Reuters, Zee has sought damages of Rs. 2 crore (approximately $210,000).
The suit, filed on April 3, states that Zee Entertainment has a licensing arrangement with Meta that allows individuals to use its music on Instagram for non-commercial purposes. Zee has alleged that Nykaa used several of its songs in promotional content tied to product marketing without obtaining the required permissions.
Reuters reported that Zee identified 12 Instagram reels in the lawsuit, along with screenshots, where its music was allegedly used in promotional posts. During a hearing this week, Nykaa’s counsel reportedly informed the court that the flagged links had been taken down. Both companies declined to comment to Reuters.
The matter comes as brands increasingly rely on short-form video formats and popular music across social media marketing campaigns, particularly on Instagram.
Separately, Zee has also filed a commercial suit against JioStar India Private Limited in the Delhi High Court over the alleged continued use of its copyrighted sound recordings after the expiry of a licensing agreement between the parties and their predecessor entities.
According to a regulatory disclosure filed under Regulation 30 of the SEBI Listing Regulations, Zee has alleged unauthorised use of its sound recordings across JioStar’s digital platforms and satellite channels following the expiry of the agreement.
Zee Entertainment has claimed damages of approximately Rs. 28.75 crore in the matter, while stating that the amount could increase if additional alleged instances of infringement are identified during the proceedings.
The two matters add to ongoing conversations around music licensing, commercial usage rights and copyright compliance across digital platforms, advertising and broadcast media.
