Madras High Court Seeks Response from TN Cable Operators Over Copyright Violation Allegations by iHorse Pictures

Chennai, May 1, 2025 — The Madras High Court has issued a directive to Tamil Nadu cable TV operators and Multi-System Operators (MSOs) to submit their responses by June 9, following a petition filed by iHorse Pictures alleging widespread copyright violations and non-compliance with Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) guidelines.

The petitioner, Kaundeya, proprietor of iHorse Pictures based in Besant Nagar, Chennai, has stated that the company holds exclusive licensing and distribution rights for audio and video content — including films and devotional songs — from reputed music labels such as SPI Music (Think Music), Sony Music, Saregama, and Best Audio.

According to the petition, iHorse Pictures had entered into legal agreements with these music labels starting January 1, 2025, for a period of two years, allowing the company to distribute content to local cable TV networks across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. As per the agreements, cable operators were mandated to pay a monthly licensing fee to legally broadcast the copyrighted content. Failure to comply constitutes copyright infringement, in violation of TRAI and Cable Network Regulations.

Despite a legal notice issued on January 28, 2025, demanding adherence to licensing terms, over 700 cable channels operating under 14 major MSOs allegedly continued to broadcast copyrighted content without authorization.

Advocate Vijayan Subramaniyan, appearing for iHorse Pictures, contended during the hearing that the unauthorized broadcasting of content not only undermines the intellectual property rights of the music labels but also breaches regulatory mandates. He urged the court to direct TRAI and other relevant authorities to cancel the broadcasting rights of the non-compliant MSOs and immediately halt their transmission signals. 

Taking the allegations seriously, the Madras High Court has asked all concerned parties — including the MSOs and cable operators — to file their replies by June 9. The matter is scheduled for further hearing on the same day.

Furthermore, iHorse Pictures has sought damages of ?50 lakhs from Vel TV, a local television channel operating out of Anna Nagar, Chennai, for unauthorized usage of its licensed song videos without prior approval.

This case could potentially set a significant precedent regarding digital and broadcast rights enforcement in regional cable TV networks.