India’s media landscape is witnessing an escalating legal battle as JioStar, the prominent TV and online entertainment venture of Reliance and Walt Disney, has initiated legal proceedings against rival Zee Entertainment.

The action centres on allegations of unauthorised broadcasting of Bollywood films for which JioStar claims exclusive rights, according to recently reviewed legal documents.

This latest dispute adds another layer to the intense rivalry between two of India’s media giants.

Billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s JioStar, which holds the top position in the nation’s vibrant $30 billion media and entertainment sector, is now locked in a fresh confrontation with Zee Entertainment, one of India’s oldest media groups and a smaller competitor.

The companies are already embroiled in a $1 billion arbitration in London stemming from a collapsed cricket licensing deal in 2024.

The current legal challenge, filed by JioStar on 4 May with a legal mediation committee, appears to be a retaliatory move. It follows Zee’s own lawsuit in April, where it accused JioStar in a Delhi court of the unauthorised use of its copyrighted music.

JioStar alleges that Zee telecast 12 distinct films approximately 20 times last year, despite the broadcast rights belonging to the Reliance-led entity at the time. These films reportedly include blockbusters starring popular Bollywood actors such as Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan.

JioStar’s 120-page plea asserts that Zee “is a habitual infringer”, accusing the rival of continuing to “engage in the unauthorised broadcast and exploitation of the films”. The case was lodged with the Delhi High Court Legal Services Committee, a body designed to facilitate amicable dispute resolution.

Should mediation fail, JioStar reserves the right to escalate the matter to a full court hearing. The committee has summoned Zee to appear on 25 May, warning that non-attendance will be interpreted as a refusal to participate in the mediation process.

Among the films cited in the dispute are classic hits like the 1975 Deewaar, starring Amitabh Bachchan, and Tridev. JioStar also claims unauthorised broadcast of Aamir Khan’s 2016 blockbuster Dangal.

While JioStar is reportedly seeking upwards of 250 million rupees ($2.61 million) for the alleged infringement, Zee has countered that the broadcasts were “inadvertent and unintentional” and has declined liability for damages. For Dangal, Zee maintains it had permission from the production house.

The two media powerhouses, which collectively reach hundreds of millions of viewers across numerous TV channels and streaming platforms, have been exchanging legal notices since February 2025. JioStar, formed from the 2024 merger of Reliance and Disney’s Indian media assets, claims a 34.2 per cent share of India’s TV market, while Zee reports its share at an 18 per cent four-year high.

Both JioStar and Zee declined to comment on the ongoing legal proceedings.