Performing Right Society Ltd v B4U Network (Europe) Limited

Robert Howe QC has successfully obtained summary judgment on behalf of the Performing Rights Society (PRS) against B4U Network, the world's leading Bollywood satellite broadcaster, in a long-running dispute about broadcasting of Bollywood movies in the UK.

Mr Justice Vos ruled last week that B4U had no realistic defence to PRS' claim in relation to a sample song written by one of Bollywood's most well-known and prolific songwriting teams, Salim and Sulaiman Merchant, who have written more than 2,500 songs for Bollywood films; and entered judgment for PRS. 

Vos J rejected B4U's defence, which was based on an argument that there was a custom and practice in the Bollywood movie industry that songwriters always assign all their rights in their songs to Bollywood movie producers.

The decision is expected to have important consequences for the Bollywood movie industry.