Anushree Rauta

Professional Experience: Anushree started her career with an established Media & Entertainment law firm in India, where she worked for close to eight (8) years. During her career span, Anushree has been involved in advising some of the leading OTT Platforms, studios, broadcasters, production houses, talent management companies, music labels, publishers, content aggregators, digital platforms, celebrities, e-commerce platforms, distributors, animation companies, event organizers and trade associations. Anushree is experienced in structuring complex transactions and providing advisory across various issues concerning the Media, Entertainment and IT sector. Anushree has carried out Due Diligence reports for thousands of films. She has also been instrumental in setting up the S&P Policies of several leading OTT Platforms. She has also advised several music label start-ups in setting up their business and procuring memberships with collecting societies. She has also advised several celebrities in relation to creation and sale of their NFT. Under Anushree’s able leadership the size of the M&E practice has increased multi-fold with the transactional and litigation media team growing exponentially. Anushree has also been a part of several path breaking litigation matters ranging from copyright, trademark infringement, content regulation, statutory licensing, etc. Few such matters include:

• First dynamic injunction order against stream ripping websites in the music industry on behalf of global major labels Sony Music, Universal Music, and Warner Music. This landmark case was coordinated by the Indian Music Industry (IMI) and the International Federation of Phonographic Industry (IFPI).
• IPAB radio royalty statutory licensing matter-Represented Tips Industries Limited, SESAC performing Rights LLC (SESAC) and Swiss Co-operative Society for Music Authors and Publishers (SUISA) in the landmark radio statutory licensing case before the IPAB.
• Plex vs Zee Plex trademark infringement case– Successfully represented Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited before Bombay High Court in defending a passing off action filed by Plex Inc where the Plaintiff sought to restrain Zee from using the word ‘Plex’ in relation to their movie channel service by the name ‘ZeePlex’. The Bombay HC refused to grant any ad-interim reliefs to the Plaintiff, inter alia, on the ground that the Plaintiff had failed to establish a prima facie case of passing off.
• Sushil Ansal vs Endemol India Pvt. Ltd– Successfully represented Endemol India Private Limited in the suit filed by Sushil Ansal seeking permanent and mandatory injunction restraining the Defendants (including Endemol India Pvt. Ltd.) from releasing the web series titled ‘Trial By Fire’ streaming on Netflix, claiming defamation and infringement of right to privacy. The series was based on the Uphaar Cinema tragedy and the prosecution of the Ansal brothers thereafter which was slated for release on 13.01.2023 on the Netflix. The series was based on a book by the same name written by Neelam and Shekhar Krishnamoorthy, the parents of two children Ujjwal and Unnati, who had died in the unfortunate Uphaar Cinema tragedy.
• The Kashmir Files PIL– Represented renowned director Vivek Agnihotri and Zee Studios in successfully defending a public interest litigation filed seeking stay of release of the film “The Kashmir Files” before Bombay High Court.
• Dream Girl 2-Represented Balaji Telefilms Limited in defending copyright infringement claims filed in relation to the film Dream Girl 2 (Ashim Kumar Bagchi vs Balaji Telefilms Limited)
• Copyright infringement case between Tips vs ENIL (Radio Mirchi) and Gaana.
• Compulsory licensing matter between ENIL and Tips before Delhi High Court
• OTT content regulation matters before multiple high courts for Zee 5 and ALT Balaji.
• Several copyright infringement matters against You Tube and others for Zee, Applause Entertainment, Balaji Telefilms Limited, Endemol.
• Successfully represented clients in litigation matters related to several audio visual content including:
• Gunjan Saxena (Union of India vs Dharma Production Pvt Ltd)
• Hasmukh (Ashutosh Dubey Vs Netflix)
• Trial by Fire (Sushil Ansal vs Endemol India Pvt. Ltd)
• The Kashmir Files (Intezar Hussain Sayed vs Zee Studios & Ors)
• Dream Girl 2 (Naresh Kathooria vs Think Ink & Ors), (Ashim Bagchi vs Balaji Telefilms Ltd & Ors)
• I Love You (Lionsgate India vs Sunir Khetrapal & Ors)
• Mission Raniganj for the song “Jalsa” (Saga Music Pvt. Ltd vs Satinder Pal Singh Sartaj)
• Jungle Cry (Ujjwal Chaterjee vs Shabbir Boxwala)

She has provided transactional and advisory support for hundreds of films and web series and been a part of several high-stake transactions. She was instrumental in representing Gsharp Media Private Limited in setting up India’s first AI-powered music licensing platform ‘Hoopr’. Anushree is also the founder of IPRMENTLAW, a knowledge-sharing, non-profit open access forum. Within a year of its launch, it became one of the top entertainment law blogs in India and continues to provide regular updates and perspectives on significant developments taking place in the media and entertainment industry. Anushree authored the book ‘Copyright 101 – A Handbook on Copyright for Content Creators and Owners’ launched by FICCI and Creative First, a division of Motion Pictures Association in collaboration with IPRMENTLAW. Anushree has conducted several webinars and workshops on media and entertainment laws for the benefit of students, legal professionals, and industry representatives. Anushree also serves as a trustee for the NGO ‘National Women’s Organization,’ actively engaged in the Save Ganga Movement. This movement aims to protect nature and women’s causes, preserving Gandhi, Ganga, and Giriraj (Himalaya). ‘Gandhi’ represents truth and non-violence, ‘Ganga’ symbolizes all rivers, and ‘Giriraj’ encompasses mountains, forests, and wildlife.