No playing popular music without licences at parties: Bombay HC

Even as the city launches itself into Christmas and New Year festivities, the Bombay high court (HC) issued injunctions against several popular hotels, pubs, bars,

Even as the city launches itself into Christmas and New Year festivities, the Bombay high court (HC) issued injunctions against several popular hotels, pubs, bars, and resorts in the state, restricting them from playing Bollywood music, licences of which are vested with Novex Communications.

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The firm approached the court claiming that it had public performance rights in sound recordings and copyrights of some popular Bollywood dance numbers which these hotels, pubs, and resorts were playing without obtaining a licence from them.

The single bench of justice SC Gupte, while hearing a bunch of petitions filed by Novex through advocate Rashmin Khandekar, was informed that the firm was engaged in the business of licensing public performance rights in sound recordings. Khandekar submitted that his client was an authorised firm for Zee Music Company, Yash Raj Films Pvt Ltd, Red Ribbon and Eros International Media Ltd, Tips, Thinkmusic, and Nucleya, and had copyrights for music produced by these production houses.

Khandekar further submitted that the firm had copyrights for hit songs like the Ghungroo song; Swag Se Swagat; Kala Chashma; Nashe Si Chad Gayi; Tune Mari Entriyaan; Tu Meri; Baby Ko Base; Aaj Raat Ka Scene; First Class; Laung Gawacha; Mumbai Dance; Makhna, and Mehbooba which were popular at parties.

However, as the respondent hotels, pubs and resorts were playing the music without obtaining licences from his client, Khandekar asked that they be restrained through an injunction from playing the tracks during parties.

After hearing the submissions and perusing the documents, the court issued an injunction on the respondent hotels, pubs, discotheques, bars, and resorts from playing any music, the rights of which were vested with Novex Communications.