~ Shatrughan Kumar aka Khesari Lal Yadav cannot sell his new songs to third-party distributors or music companies till September 30, 2025 ~
New Delhi, September 7, 2023 – In light of recent industry discussions and to ensure clarity among our stakeholders and the general public, Global Music Junction wishes to elaborate on its exclusive collaboration with the esteemed artist, Mr. Khesari Lal Yadav. A division bench of Justices Manmohan and Saurabh Banerjee of the Delhi High Court has ruled in favour of Global Music Junction in a legal proceeding against singer and actor Khesari Lal. The order has restrained Mr. Yadav from engaging with any company other than Global Music Junction for monetizing or distributing his new songs until September 30, 2025. This directive ensures that any professional engagement of Mr. Khesari Lal outside the purview of the exclusive agreement, especially with other music companies or distributors, will be in direct violation of the court’s order.
Mr. Rajkumar Singh, Founder & CEO of Global Music Junction, stated, “We are thankful to the Delhi High court and respect its decision to honor our association with Khesari Lal Yadav. He is a key artist in our roster, and we look forward to having this exclusive partnership till the period of our agreement. Global Music Junction has always been committed to having some of the most well-known names from the music space. Staying true to our core ethos, we will continue delivering exceptional music to our audience and will continue to produce high-quality music for enthusiasts worldwide. We urge all industry stakeholders, including other music companies, production houses, event organizers, and distributors, to respect and adhere to this legal directive.”
Global Music and Khesari Lal Yadav had entered into a production agreement on May 27, 2021, for the exclusive creation and production of 200 songs within 30 months for a total consideration of ₹5 crores. Under the agreement, all intellectual property in the content/songs created vested with Global Music Junction. The contract has now been extended until September 30, 2025.
On 5th September 2023, the division bench, after careful consideration, ruled in favor of Global Music Junction, asserting that Yadav’s conduct had not been honest or fair. The court rejected claims of misrepresentation and clarified that the restrictions would not prevent Yadav from practicing his trade or profession. The court injuncted Yadav from engaging with any third person and any competitor of Global Music Junction from monetizing any new song of Mr. Yadav till 30th September, 2025.
Under this ruling, Khesari Lal Yadav is still permitted to actively participate in the Bhojpuri film industry, perform on national TV channels, utilize his social media platforms, and entertain audiences on stage. However, he is prohibited from selling his new songs to distributors, music companies, and producers. Any breach of the court’s directive will not only be a violation of binding agreement but also be considered contempt of the Hon’ble High Court of Delhi’s order.
“We extend our deepest gratitude to the judicial system and the Hon’ble High Court of Delhi for their unwavering commitment to upholding the principles of contractual integrity and fairness. Their judgment ensures a conducive environment for artists and music companies to collaborate with trust and mutual respect”, added Singh.
Link to the judgement:
