<p>New Delhi: Zee Entertainment has sued fashion-to-beauty retailer Nykaa for allegedly using its copyrighted songs in Instagram reels to promote its products, seeking $210,000 in damages, previously unreported court documents show.</p><p>In an April 3 lawsuit filed in the Delhi High Court, Zee argued it has a licensing agreement with Meta Platforms that allows individuals to use its music in Instagram posts for non-commercial use, but said Nykaa had used several of Zee's copyrighted songs in reels to promote products to millions of followers.</p>.Nykaa sees fastest quarterly revenue growth in 3 years.<p>The lawsuit documents are not public but were reviewed by Reuters. Nykaa and Zee both declined to comment on the lawsuit.</p><p>Short-video formats have become a key advertising tool for brands on social media platforms like Meta's Instagram, often featuring popular Hindi songs as background music.</p><p><strong>Twelve flagged links taken down</strong></p><p>Zee listed 12 Instagram reels in its lawsuit, along with screenshots, where Nykaa allegedly used Zee's licensed music to promote its products in social media posts.</p><p>In a brief hearing on Thursday, Nykaa's lawyer told the court that the 12 flagged links had been taken down, according to a court order which has not previously been reported.</p><p>Nykaa allegedly used the music "without securing any permissions/authorisations from" Zee, according to the over 900-page lawsuit.</p><p>Zee has asked the court to award 20 million rupees ($209,742) as compensation over Nykaa's illegal use of its music, the lawsuit said.</p><p>Zee and Nykaa are big listed players in their respective sectors in India, and legal experts said the case could have wider implications.</p><p>"Marketing departments often use content available on music libraries without reading the fine print of the Instagram terms" and the decision should "provide much-needed clarity," said Aditya Gupta, a partner at India's Ira Law.</p><p>The case will next be heard on May 26.</p>
<p>New Delhi: Zee Entertainment has sued fashion-to-beauty retailer Nykaa for allegedly using its copyrighted songs in Instagram reels to promote its products, seeking $210,000 in damages, previously unreported court documents show.</p><p>In an April 3 lawsuit filed in the Delhi High Court, Zee argued it has a licensing agreement with Meta Platforms that allows individuals to use its music in Instagram posts for non-commercial use, but said Nykaa had used several of Zee's copyrighted songs in reels to promote products to millions of followers.</p>.Nykaa sees fastest quarterly revenue growth in 3 years.<p>The lawsuit documents are not public but were reviewed by Reuters. Nykaa and Zee both declined to comment on the lawsuit.</p><p>Short-video formats have become a key advertising tool for brands on social media platforms like Meta's Instagram, often featuring popular Hindi songs as background music.</p><p><strong>Twelve flagged links taken down</strong></p><p>Zee listed 12 Instagram reels in its lawsuit, along with screenshots, where Nykaa allegedly used Zee's licensed music to promote its products in social media posts.</p><p>In a brief hearing on Thursday, Nykaa's lawyer told the court that the 12 flagged links had been taken down, according to a court order which has not previously been reported.</p><p>Nykaa allegedly used the music "without securing any permissions/authorisations from" Zee, according to the over 900-page lawsuit.</p><p>Zee has asked the court to award 20 million rupees ($209,742) as compensation over Nykaa's illegal use of its music, the lawsuit said.</p><p>Zee and Nykaa are big listed players in their respective sectors in India, and legal experts said the case could have wider implications.</p><p>"Marketing departments often use content available on music libraries without reading the fine print of the Instagram terms" and the decision should "provide much-needed clarity," said Aditya Gupta, a partner at India's Ira Law.</p><p>The case will next be heard on May 26.</p>