Popular comedian Kapil Sharma and his streaming show, The Great Indian Kapil Show, have landed in serious legal trouble. India's oldest copyright licensing body, Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL), has filed a lawsuit against the show's makers and Netflix for alleged unauthorised use of songs.
The Copyright Infringement Allegations
PPL India has moved the Bombay High Court with a commercial intellectual property suit. The suit, filed on December 12, targets three specific episodes from the show's third season. The organisation alleges that the producers used copyrighted sound recordings without obtaining the necessary licenses, which is a violation of the Copyright Act of 1957.
The legal complaint identifies the episodes and songs in question. The 11th episode, which featured guests Sidharth Malhotra and Janhvi Kapoor, allegedly included the song "M Bole To" from the 2003 film Munna Bhai MBBS. The following episode, with Sanjay Dutt and Suniel Shetty, is cited for using the track "Rama Re" from Kaante (2002). Furthermore, the season finale starring Akshay Kumar is under scrutiny for featuring the song "Subha Hone Na De" from Desi Boyz (2011).
Legal Action and Producer's Response
PPL asserts that the usage of these songs constitutes "public performance/communication to the public", for which a license from the rights holder is mandatory. The plaintiff maintains that the show's production companies, K9 Films Pvt Ltd and BeingU Studios Pvt Ltd, never acquired these permissions. It was also noted that the songs were played audibly during filming in front of a live studio audience.
Prior to approaching the court, PPL India sent a cease-and-desist notice to the producers on November 6. According to PPL, they only received a "holding reply" in response, prompting them to initiate legal proceedings.
What PPL is Seeking from the Court
The copyright body has requested the Bombay High Court to issue an injunction to prevent the show's producers from using its copyrighted material without a license. Additionally, PPL has asked the court to:
- Order the disclosure of any revenue generated from the episodes featuring the unauthorised songs.
- Appoint a court receiver to seize all infringing material.
This lawsuit adds to the challenges for The Great Indian Kapil Show, which has reportedly been grappling with declining ratings. The show, officially launched on March 30, 2024, has aired 41 episodes across its seasons. The third season ran from June 21 to September 20, 2025, and a fourth season has already begun streaming from December 20.
Established in 1941, PPL India controls public performance rights for over 400 music labels across Bollywood, regional, and international genres. The organisation is affiliated with the global International Federation of Phonographic Industries (IFPI).
