Delhi High Court orders Rakshith Shetty and his Paramvah Studios to pay Rs 20 lakh in copyright dispute

The Delhi High Court has ordered Paramvah Studios owner and actor Rakshit Shetty to pay a hefty fine for using songs from MRT Music in his film Bachelor Party without the required permission.

A copyright infringement case was filed against Rakshith Shetty for using MRT Music’s songs in Bachelor Party without permission. Naveen Kumar, a partner in MRT Music, had complained that Rishab Shetty and his banner Paramavah Studios used the music from the movies Nyaya Eliade and Gaalimathu without permission.

The Delhi High Court has now asked Rakshit Shetty and his production house Paramvaah Studios to deposit Rs 20 lakh as compensation against copyright infringement.

Rakshith Shetty and his Paramvah Studios tried to defend themselves in court and on social media. Production house Paramvah Studios and the actor himself posted an open letter via an Instagram post on July 15, 2024, claiming that MRT Music had asked for an unfair amount to use a few music seconds in the bachelor party.

However, the Delhi High Court issued notice to Rakshit Shetty and Paramvah Studios as he did not appear in the court. The court also directed the actor to remove the said social media posts with immediate effect. In the latest hearing held on August 12, the court passed an order directing Rakshit Shetty to pay Rs 20 lakh to MRT Music for using two tracks without obtaining advance rights.

Rakshith Shetty, one of the leading stars of Sandalwood, is currently gearing up for the release of his next film Richard Anthony, in which he is returning to the directorial chair as well as handling the lead role of the film.

Apart from acting and directing films, Rakshith Shetty is also a filmmaker who produces and distributes films under his banner Paramvaah Studios. The Charlie 777 actor’s production studio releases a few films every year, and one such release this year was Bachelor Party, which was released in theatres in January and on Amazon Prime in March.

Earlier, National Award-winning 2022 film Kantara also faced issues for using the song ‘Varaha Roopam’ which was allegedly copied from Kerala-based music band Thaikkudam Bridge.