The popular and often controversial reality show, Bigg Boss 19, hosted by Salman Khan, has found itself in legal hot water. The show’s makers have been sued for ₹2 crore for allegedly using two popular Bollywood songs without securing the necessary legal permissions.
The legal action has been initiated by Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL) India, which sent a legal notice to the producers, Endemol Shine India. The notice accuses the production house of using the songs—“Chikni Chameli” (from the film Agneepath) and “Dhat Tere Ki” (from the film Gori Tere Pyaar Mein)—in episode 11, which streamed on September 3, without the “mandatory public performance licence.”
According to Mid-day India, PPL India argues that both songs are licensed to Sony Music Entertainment India, one of over 450 music labels whose public performance rights are exclusively managed by PPL.
The notice, dated September 19 and served by advocate Hiten Ajay Wasan, names Endemol Shine India’s directors—Thomas Gousset, Nicolas Chazarain, and Deepak Dhar—as responsible parties.
A source from the legal team explained, “PPL argues that because Endemol Shine India did not obtain a licence under Section 30 of the Copyright Act 1957, the use amounts to a ‘wilful infringement’.”
PPL has demanded that the show’s producers pay ₹2 crore in damages, in addition to the requisite licence fees. The organization has also issued a cease-and-desist notice, forbidding the unauthorized use of any of its sound recordings in the future.
As of now, neither Endemol Shine India nor the streaming platform, JioHotstar, has issued a reaction or comment regarding the legal notice.