Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL) has filed a copyright infringement suit in the Bombay High Court against Kapil Sharma and the producers of The Great Indian Kapil Show, alleging unauthorised use of sound recordings during the Netflix show’s recordings.
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MUMBAI: A legal dispute has emerged around Netflix’s comedy series The Great Indian Kapil Show, with music copyright body Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL) moving the Bombay High Court over the alleged unauthorised use of sound recordings.
The case has been initiated against the show’s production houses, K-9 Films Private Limited and BeingU Studios Private Limited, as well as comedian Kapil Sharma and other individuals involved in the show’s production and direction.
The matter came up before Justice Sharmila Deshmukh, who granted the respondents a two-week window to submit their response to PPL’s claims. The court has not passed any interim order at this stage.
According to PPL, several copyrighted sound recordings under its management were allegedly played as background music during the filming of the show without a valid public performance licence.
Counsel appearing for the copyright society contended that such use goes beyond incidental inclusion and amounts to commercial exploitation. They argued that repeated unauthorised use could undermine the licensing framework governing music usage in televised and streamed content.
The copyright body pointed out that the show has already completed three seasons and that filming for the next season is currently ongoing. PPL expressed concern that the disputed practice may continue unless restrained through judicial intervention.
In its submission, PPL stated that continued use of protected recordings without consent could cause long-term harm to rights holders represented by the society.
Among the remedies sought, PPL has asked the court to restrain the producers from playing or broadcasting any sound recordings belonging to its repertoire during live recordings or public communication of the show.
The plea also seeks the appointment of the Bombay High Court Receiver to take custody of electronic devices and storage media allegedly used for playing the copyrighted music, with police assistance if required.
The dispute highlights the increasing scrutiny around copyright compliance in OTT and studio-based productions, particularly where recorded music is used to enhance audience experience.
The case is expected to be heard further once replies are filed by the defendants.
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