Courts take centre stage in India’s fast-growing micro-drama ecosystem

India’s booming microdrama ecosystem is rapidly turning into a legal battleground, with content creators, platforms and studios increasingly locking horns over copyright violations. What began as sporadic disputes has now snowballed into a series of high-stakes cases, signalling a deeper structural conflict within the fast-growing short-form content industry.

The documents pertaining to lawsuits (copies with e4m) filed in Delhi High Court showcase the battle intensifying in 2026. 

Story TV has claimed that it identified more than 4,500 instances of alleged copyright infringement across the platforms, accusing them of continuing to host protected content without valid authorisation. The case adds to a growing list of disputes where content owners are challenging how user-generated platforms handle copyrighted material, particularly in high-velocity formats like micro-dramas where replication and remixing are common.

The legal dispute had escalated earlier when Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited moved court against the company. ZEEL alleged that after the expiry of licensing agreements in mid-2023, its music catalogue continued to remain accessible on the other platforms. The broadcaster claimed it found around 1,395 infringing instances, despite repeated notices seeking removal.

Adding another dimension to the dispute is US-based AI entertainment startup Dashverse, which has flagged the issue earlier this year and later sent a legal notice, criticising the platform’s grievance redressal mechanism as “not robust, efficient or effective,” pointing to gaps in enforcement mechanisms on large-scale user-generated platforms.

The tensions are not limited to platform-versus-publisher conflicts. Rivalries within the micro-drama space itself are spilling into litigation. Pocket FM is currently facing a dual legal challenge over alleged copyright infringement from both Kuku Technologies and Story TV, highlighting the intensifying competition for original intellectual property as companies race to build exclusive content libraries.

Story TV, which is also defending itself in a separate case, maintained a firm stance. A spokesperson told e4m, “Story TV strongly denies all allegations made in the lawsuit filed by Kuku TV. As the matter is currently sub judice, we are unable to comment further at this time. We are in the process of initiating further legal action on Kuku TV for infringing on our intellectual property. 

The spokesperson said, “We take the protection of our intellectual property extremely seriously. Story TV has also recently initiated proceedings before the Delhi High Court against alleged unauthorised use of certain content amounting to over 4500+ infringements.”

Legal experts say the consequences of such disputes could be significant. Jay Sayta, Technology Lawyer, said, “Infringement of copyright by microdrama platforms could result in both civil and criminal consequences. Microdrama platforms should ensure that they host content which is either originally created or for which they hold clear license from the creators/copyright holders.”

An executive at a leading short-video platform, requesting anonymity, said the challenge lies in balancing scale with compliance. “When you are dealing with millions of uploads ensuring every piece of content is fully licensed is operationally complex. But the regulatory and legal scrutiny is clearly tightening,” the person said.

Another industry insider from a digital content studio noted that the disputes reflect a maturing market dynamic. “Earlier, the focus was purely on growth and user acquisition. Now, as serious capital flows into micro-drama platforms, ownership and protection of IP have become central. Companies are far more aggressive about enforcing their rights,” the executive said.

As courts begin to hear these cases, the outcomes could have far-reaching implications for intermediary liability, platform accountability, and copyright enforcement in India’s digital content ecosystem. For now, the micro-drama boom is entering a more contentious phase—one where legal compliance may prove just as critical as creativity and scale.

e4m reached out to Pocket FM, Kuku Technologies, Mohalla Tech for comments, but no one responded till the time of publishing.