Makers of Tamil Movie ‘Karuppu’ Issue Apology and Remove Dialogue Disputing Ilaiyaraaja’s Copyright
Following a legal notice, the production team behind the film Karuppu formally apologized to music maestro Ilaiyaraaja and confirmed they have removed a meta-dialogue mocking music licensing and copyright restrictions from the film’s final print.
Delhi High Court Rules Ilaiyaraaja Does Not Hold Copyright Over Lyrics or Sound Recording of ‘En Iniya Pon Nilave’
In a major setback for the veteran composer, a division bench of the Delhi High Court ruled that while Ilaiyaraaja retains rights over his standalone musical compositions, he holds no copyright over the lyrics or the final sound recordings, which vest with the record label (Saregama) and the lyricist.
Citation – 2026 LLBiz HC(DEL) 525
Madras High Court Orders TVK Cultural Academy to Pay Mandatory IPRS Royalty Fees for Live Music Concerts
The Madras High Court has restrained TVK Cultural Academy from organizing its live musical events in Chennai unless it deposits the mandatory public performance licensing and royalty fees demanded by the Indian Performing Right Society (IPRS).
Delhi High Court Restrains Unauthorized Use of Internet-Viral ‘Bachpan Ka Pyar’ Song and Hook Line
The Delhi High Court has granted an ex-parte interim injunction in favor of Ivy Entertainment, restraining several unauthorized YouTube channels and entities from commercializing or creating spin-offs of the viral track’s distinct hook line.
Nykaa Moves impleadment application in Delhi High Court to Include Meta in Zee Music Copyright Battle Over Instagram Reels
E-commerce firm Nykaa has moved to implead Meta Platforms as a party in its ongoing copyright litigation with Zee Music Company, asserting that the intermediary platform plays a direct role in hosting the content under dispute via Instagram Reels.
Siddharth Roy Kapur’s Production House Issues Public Legal Notice Warning Against Fake Casting Director
Roy Kapur Films has issued a formal cautionary public statement distancing itself from casting director Vineet Lalita Pandey, warning aspiring talent against fraudulent auditions and financial demands made under their corporate banner.
Varun Beverages Extends Exclusive PepsiCo India Bottling and Trademark Agreement Until 2049
Varun Beverages has formalized a massive long-term extension of its bottling, distribution, and trademark usage agreement with PepsiCo India, securing exclusive manufacturing rights for another quarter-century.
‘Drishyam 3’ Attains U/A 16+ Certification Across Multiple Languages Without Cuts
The thriller franchise Drishyam 3 successfully obtained an uncut U/A 16+ certification from the CBFC, allowing the makers to distribute the film across pan-India languages without narrative alterations.
CBFC Cuts 96 Seconds of Intimate Scenes From Romance Film ‘Chand Mera Dil’
The CBFC has enforced a total edit of 96 seconds, removing multiple kissing and intimate sequences from the upcoming romantic feature Chand Mera Dil as a condition for theatrical certification.
T-Series Defends Use of ‘Oye Oye’ Track in Film ‘Dhurandhar 2’ Before Delhi High Court Based on 1988 Assignment
Following failed mediation, T-Series argued before the Delhi High Court that a historic 1988 music assignment agreement executed by Trimurti Films gave it broad rights to adapt and use underlying musical works from the movie Tridev into modern cinematograph films.
Three Trademark Applications Filed to Register ‘Cockroach Janata Party’ Following CJI’s Comments
Official records show that three distinct commercial applications have been filed to register ‘Cockroach Janata Party’ under various classes, capitalising on a viral social media trend sparked by a metaphorical comment made by the Chief Justice of India during a hearing.
Delhi High Court Directs Centre and CBFC to Frame Content Guidelines for Spy Thrillers Following PIL
The Delhi High Court has directed the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the CBFC to examine concerns raised in a PIL claiming that the film Dhurandhar 2 compromised the safety of real undercover agents, and to evaluate the need for pre-certification rules for spy films.
Patna High Court Quashes FIR Against Prashant Kishor, Ruling That Political Campaign Ideas Lack Copyright Protection
The Patna High Court has quashed a criminal complaint alleging IP theft against political strategist Prashant Kishor, reaffirming that political slogans, general campaign concepts, or public socio-economic data do not constitute copyrightable material.
Karnataka High Court Stays Criminal Book Piracy Proceedings Against E-Commerce Giant Amazon
The Karnataka High Court has granted an interim stay on criminal proceedings directed at Amazon India regarding the sale of pirated physical copies of books by third-party sellers on its marketplace platform, bringing intermediary liability back to the forefront.
Madras High Court Rejects Plea to Ban Movie Depicting Judicial Corruption, Upholds Free Speech
The Madras High Court rejected a public interest petition seeking a blanket ban on a film portraying corruption within the judiciary, observing that cinematic representations of systemic issues are protected expressions and cannot be suppressed simply because they tackle controversial topics.
Visual Artist Files Federal Lawsuit Against US Copyright Office Over AI-Enhanced Photography Registration Refusal
A digital artist has filed a federal lawsuit against the US Copyright Office, legally challenging its regulatory stance that refuses copyright protection to creative imagery containing significant AI-generated or AI-modified elements.
Disney’s Copyright Infringement Lawsuit Against Chinese Generative AI Developer Advances in Court
The Walt Disney Company’s intellectual property lawsuit against a Chinese generative AI platform has moved past initial jurisdiction hurdles, highlighting global litigation over the unauthorized scraping of copyrighted character designs for training datasets.
Encyclopaedia Britannica and Merriam-Webster Sue AI Startup Perplexity for Massive Copyright Infringement
Reference legacy publishers Encyclopaedia Britannica and Merriam-Webster have sued conversational search engine Perplexity AI, alleging widespread unauthorized data-scraping and verbatim reproduction of their proprietary word definitions.
US Government Faces Federal Lawsuit Over Copyright Ownership and Licensing of Iconic ‘Peanuts’ Music
A legal battle has emerged targeting the US government regarding archival licensing, historical contract definitions, and current public royalty streams generated by the classic musical tracks composed for the Peanuts animated specials.
State of Texas Sues Netflix Over Alleged Breach of Data Privacy and Children’s Consumer Safety Laws
The Attorney General of Texas has initiated an expansive lawsuit against streaming giant Netflix, alleging algorithmic privacy breaches and failure to comply with state verification metrics designed to safeguard minors’ viewing profiles.
Amazon Faces Class-Action Lawsuit Over Alleged Retention of Millions in Trump-Era Customs Tariff Refunds
A major commercial dispute has hit Amazon as corporate plaintiffs accuse the platform of contract breach for retaining multi-million dollar refunds issued by customs authorities under past tariff rollbacks instead of routing them back to third-party merchants.
