A Delhi court has directed Saregama to pay ₹5 lakh in damages to singer Anamika Sood. The order came after a copyright strike against her song Ferrareee was found to be wrongful. The ruling has drawn attention in the music industry.
The track had gained nearly 2 million views on YouTube before it was taken down. Saregama had claimed that it infringed rights over the song “Reshmi Salwar Kurta Jali Da” from the film Naya Daur. This led to the removal of the video.
District Judge Neelam Singh stated that the allegation of infringement was not proven. The court observed that there was no clear evidence to support the claim. This became a key factor in the final judgment.
The court found that Ferrareee is an original work. It noted that the song only drew limited inspiration from the Punjabi folk track “Sadke Sadke Jandiya”. Since the folk song is in the public domain, this did not amount to infringement.
Saregama failed to establish strong similarity between the songs. Even its own witness admitted that there was no proper supporting material. This weakened the company’s argument during the proceedings.
The court also observed that the takedown had affected Sood’s reach and earnings. Her viewership, monetisation and professional opportunities suffered due to the removal of the video. This impact was taken into account.
Although Sood had claimed damages of over ₹80 lakh, the court awarded ₹5 lakh. The reduced amount was due to lack of sufficient proof regarding the full extent of losses.
This case highlights concerns around copyright enforcement. It underlines the need for accountability while issuing takedown notices. The ruling may influence how similar cases are handled in the future.
