The makers of the most popular reality show Bigg Boss 19 are facing a lot of legal trouble as they have been served with a hefty demand of ₹2 crores for illegally using 2 famous Bollywood songs. The oldest copyright licensing organization in India, Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL) has sent this legal notice to Endemol Shine India, producers, for copyright infringement over the sound recordings of ‘Chikni Chameli’ and ‘Dhat Teri Ki’. The cable in the problem is dated to an episode already broadcast this season wherein the songs were reportedly used without obtaining the required public performance license.
PPL India administers rights for more than 450 music labels and is licensing the said songs, hence, demanding huge damages and immediate license fee payments, according to the definition of “willful infringement” under the Copyright Act. The notice demands not just these huge amounts but also “cease-and-desist” regarding the unauthorized use of their repertoire. This case highlights the immense importance of intellectual property compliance even in the biggest television properties in India.
PPL’s Infringement Claim
PPL’s legal notice targets the 19th season of Bigg Boss for playing the songs ‘Chikni Chameli’ (from Agneepath) and ‘Dhat Teri Ki’ (from Gori Tere Pyaar Mein) in an episode aired in September. PPL, being an organization for collective rights management, represents key music labels whose sound recordings were exploited.
Their primary contention is that Endemol Shine India did not secure a license as mandated by Section 30 of the Copyright Act of 1957. The claim of ₹2 crore encompasses damages and the licensing fees, thereby placing the producers in an unenviable legal position against one of the largest rights holders in the music industry.
Statutory Compliance And Damages
The litigation concerns the stringent application of statutory compliance in broadcasting and entertainment. PPL has claimed ₹2 crores Damages to punish the producers of the show for what they term a flagrant violation of intellectual property rights. The case will send the message to broadcasters and production houses about the necessity to set a stringent vetting and licensing process for all copyrighted audio worked into their programming, especially in the case of a show as massive and well-budgeted as this one.
A recent media graduate, Bhumi Vashisht is currently making a significant contribution as a committed content writer. She brings new ideas to the media sector and is an expert at creating strategic content and captivating tales, having working in the field from past four months.
