JioStar Takes Legal Action Against Zee for Unauthorized Bollywood Broadcasts

India's leading entertainment conglomerate, JioStar, has initiated legal proceedings against rival Zee Entertainment for allegedly broadcasting Bollywood films without proper authorization. This legal step marks another chapter in the ongoing rivalry between these two giants in India's substantial $30 billion media industry.

JioStar, a joint venture of Reliance Industries and Walt Disney, claims Zee telecast 12 films approximately 20 times without the necessary broadcasting rights. The allegations come as both parties are embroiled in a $1 billion arbitration in London and a separate court case in India over cricket licensing and music copyright violations.

The legal filing, not previously reported, has been submitted to the Delhi High Court Legal Services Committee. Should mediation efforts fail, JioStar may escalate the case to court. This situation caused a 3.4% drop in Zee's shares in Mumbai trading, highlighting the high stakes involved in this legal confrontation.

(With inputs from agencies.)