Unauthorised song use: Delhi HC orders ₹25 lakh penalty in Rakshit Shetty copyright case

The Delhi High Court has directed Kannada actor-director Rakshit Shetty’s production house, Paramvah Studios, to pay `25 lakh for the unauthorised use of two songs owned by MRT Music in the 2024 film Bachelor Party, starring Diganth Manchale and Siri Ravikumar. In its order, Justice Tejas Karia held the production house guilty of both copyright infringement and contempt of court. The filmmakers had argued that the portions of music used were too brief to require a licence, a claim the court rejected.Speaking to Bangalore Times, MRT Music’s partner Naveen Manoharan and CEO Sachin Chauhan said, “This ruling reinforces the need for sync licences and makes it clear that unauthorised use of copyrighted work invites liability.” They added that MRT Music was represented by Ira Law Attorneys, whose efforts were key to the outcome. Paramvah Studios and Rakshit Shetty have not publicly responded to the order yet.This is not the first time Rakshit has faced such allegations. In 2020, a non-bailable warrant was issued against Paramvah Studios, Rakshit Shetty, and composer Ajaneesh Loknath under the Copyright Act for allegedly using a song from Shanti Kranti in the 2016 film Kirik Party without consent. The rights to that track are held by Lahari Recording Company, a sister concern of MRT Music.Claim of ownership by music labelMRT Music claimed ownership of the two songs featured in Bachelor Party, alleging they were used without a licence. One track plays on a television in a scene, while the other is performed in a classroom sequence to support the narrative. The film was released in theatres in January 2024 before moving to OTT platforms.Court rejects ‘minimal usage’ argumentThe court dismissed the defence that the usage was minimal. As per Bar and Bench, it noted: “The use of the original works was not minimal — Omme Ninnanu was used for 31 seconds, while Nyaya Ellide appeared for 7 seconds.” It further clarified that even a single frame from an audio-visual work falls under the exclusive rights of the copyright holder under the Copyright Act.Earlier order and contempt findingIn August 2024, an interim order had directed the filmmakers to deposit `20 lakh and remove the infringing content. The payment was not made within the stipulated time. While the amount was eventually submitted during the proceedings, the delay led to contempt action. The bench observed that the songs were deliberately chosen to enhance the narrative, amounting to commercial use. It subsequently imposed an additional Rs 5 lakh penalty to purge the contempt. Total financial penalities levied:Rs 20 lakh deposited earlier to be released to MRT MusicRs 5 additional penalty for delayed compliance