Pocket FM, an audio entertainment platform, has filed a lawsuit against Disney+ Hotstar in the Delhi High Court, alleging copyright violations concerning its web series named ‘Yakshini.’ The legal action targets Disney+ Hotstar’s parent company, Novi Digital Entertainment, and seeks an interim injunction to remove the trailer for the contested web series from the streaming platform.
According to a report by the Economic Times, Pocket FM’s lawsuit claims ownership of the ‘Yakshini’ series, which has been available on their platform since May 2021. The audio entertainment platform asserts that Disney+ Hotstar’s Telugu web series, also titled ‘Yakshini,’ bears numerous similarities to their audio series.
The case is set for a hearing on Thursday before Justice Neena Bansal Krishna, with Disney+ Hotstar expected to submit a response. Pocket FM’s plea, dated June 11, emphasizes the resemblances between the two series, particularly noting that the depiction of ‘Yakshini’ in Disney+ Hotstar’s series closely mirrors that of Pocket FM’s original audio series. The promo for the Disney+ Hotstar web series was released at the beginning of June 14.
Pocket FM, founded in 2018 by Rohan Nayak, Nishanth KS, and Prateek Dixit, has rapidly grown to become a significant player in the audio storytelling domain. The platform now has a presence in over 20 countries. As described on the company’s website, “Pocket FM has quickly ascended to a Series C stage company, becoming a driving force in the realm of audio storytelling.”
In March 2024, Pocket FM successfully raised $103 million in a Series D funding round. The company aims to use this capital to expand into the European and LATAM regions this year. Additionally, Pocket FM is intensifying its efforts to enter the US market, where it has already seen significant engagement. The company noted, “US audiences are the most engaged on the platform globally, spending over 135 minutes daily. The platform has approximately 10 million registered users in the US.”