Nov 2024 – Present · 1 yr 5 mos · Mumbai, Maharashtra, India · On-site

• I lead the legal function for JioHotstar, Sports, and Studios, where my team operates as a strategic business partner at the core of our commercial operations. We go beyond traditional legal support to shape business outcomes, drive growth, and safeguard long-term value.
• My role spans across:
• Strategic Legal Advisory & Commercial Contracts: Partnering with business leaders to structure complex deals and enable innovation at scale.
• Intellectual Property & Rights Management: Protecting and maximising the value of our IP portfolio, including trademarks, patents, and content rights.
• Compliance & Governance: Building robust frameworks covering data privacy, COBC, POSH, and leading internal investigations.
• AI & Anti-Piracy: Driving the responsible adoption of AI and pioneering anti-piracy initiatives to safeguard content in an evolving digital ecosystem.
• Litigation Strategy: Leveraging litigation as a tool to protect and advance business interests.
• I believe in combining deep legal expertise with business acumen, enabling the company to innovate responsibly, stay compliant, and remain future-ready in an industry that is constantly transforming.

Jan 2023 – Present · 3 yrs 3 mos · New Delhi, Delhi, India · Hybrid

• The independent self-regulatory body for non-news general entertainment channels setup by the Indian Broadcasting & Digital Foundation.

Jul 2019 – Nov 2024 · 5 yrs 4 mos

• Leads the legal function of the organisation across all businesses including Broadcasting, Sports, Jio Cinema (OTT), Motion Pictures (Studio), Consumer Products, Live Events and international distribution of channels and licensing of content globally. Manages POSH and COBC compliance.

Sep 2016 – Jul 2019 · 2 yrs 10 mos

• Lead a team and managed the business legal affairs for all businesses across the organisation including broadcasting, digital, OTT platform, motion pictures production, content licensing, live events & consumer products.

Oct 2012 – Aug 2014 · 1 yr 10 mos

• Built and lead a team of more than ten members and managed drafting, structuring and negotiations of contracts across businesses of the company including the Broadcast Business ("Colors"​, "MTV"​, "Vh1"​, "Nick"​, "Sonic"​, "Nick Jr"​, "Comedy Central" and ETV group of regional channels), Motion Pictures Business (under the brand name Viacom18 Motion Pictures), Digital Businesses (digital content licensing, game and app development and deployment), Content Licensing of television programs and movies across the world, International Distribution & Carriage of television channels across platforms throughout the world and Domestic Distribution of television Channels. Was also responsible for management of JV partner relation.

Oct 2011 – Oct 2012 · 1 yr

• Domestic: Handled and managed the structuring, legal negotiation and drafting of contracts for all business units of Viacom18 and for the company Sun18 Media Services North Private Limited which is an aggregator and distributor for more than 35 channels in India.
• International: Handled the legal and regulatory issues, structuring and negotiations of commercial contracts relating to international distribution of the channels “Colors” and “MTV India”. Also managed the negotiations and structuring of contracts pertaining to syndication of produced and acquired content throughout the globe in different languages and media.
• New Media: drafted and negotiated contracts relating to licensing, marketing and content distribution through various new media like Mobile and Internet, e-commerce and online media agreements and contracts relating to wireless businesses.
• Litigation and Regulatory: Involved in strategising of litigations and advising the company on regulatory and other issues of legal significance.

Nov 2010 – Oct 2011 · 11 mos

• Domestic: Handled the legal issues, structuring and negotiating commercial deals and drafting for the channel “Colors” pertaining to the production of content, acquisition and syndication of television content, negotiations with celebrities, and exploitation of content through different platforms. Also managed legal profile for the company Sun18 Media Services which is an aggregator and distributor for more than 35 channels in India.
• International: Handled the legal and regulatory issues, structuring and negotiations of commercial contracts relating to international distribution of the channels “Colors” and “MTV India”. Also handles the negotiations and structuring of contracts pertaining to syndication of produced and acquired content throughout the globe in different languages.
• Litigation and Regulatory: Involved in the formulation of strategy for litigations and advising the company on regulatory and other issues of legal significance. Liaising with external legal counsels and law firms for effectively coordinating litigation.

Oct 2009 – Nov 2010 · 1 yr 1 mo

• Handled legal issues relating to broadcasting and distribution of television channels in overseas and Indian markets, negotiating, structuring and drafting Agreeements, co-ordinating litigation, liasing with regulatory authorities , liaising with counsels, advising the company on regulatory and legal compliance.

Apr 2008 – Oct 2009 · 1 yr 6 mos

• Handled legal issues relating to production and distribution of television content, administration of Intellectual Property, Legal Negotiations, drafting of Agreements, MOUs and other generic documents, co-ordinating litigation, liasing with regulatory authorities, liaising with counsels, advising the Company on regulatory and legal compliance.

Aug 2014 – Jul 2016 · 1 yr 11 mos · Mumbai Area, India

• Built from ground up, the legal team of 40 including lawyers and content auditing functions and lead them to work as an enabler to Zee's media businesses across the world and managed all related litigations. This included the Broadcast Business of entertainment and news with a portfolio of 36 channels in all genres including GEC, Sports (Ten Sports bouqet), Music, Movies and Regional, International Distribution & Carriage of television channels across platforms throughout the world, Content Licensing of television programs, movies and formats across the world, Content Production of television programs and Bollywood films, enabled setting up of the Music Label business under the brand Zee Music Company where music is produced, acquired and licensed across platforms, Digital Businesses including the Indian OTT platform (Ditto TV), commercial web portals and other ventures in digital space and News Print business under the brand DNA.

Jan 2006 – Apr 2008 · 2 yrs 3 mos · Mumbai

• Worked with the JV of Sony Pictures Network and Discovery Communications setup to distribute channels like Sony, MAX, Sony Pix, AXN, Discovery etc., then known as MSM Discovery Private Limited
• Regulatory Compliance: Handled the regulatory correspondence including consultation papers (Policy Making) and directions and prepared appropriate replies or comments. Handled regulatory compliance. Advised the company on regulatory issues, general legal affiars and legal compliance.
• Litigation: Handled Commercial litigation, Copyright Litigation, formulated appropriate strategies, liaised with counsels. Drafted and vetted replies, petitions and other filings before the judicial and quasi judicial fora;
• Advisory functions: Advised the employees of the Company from a regulatory point of view and formulating strategy on handling regulatory directives which had direct impact on the business of the Company.
• Drafting: handled drafting of various Agreements and MOUs including distribution agreements. Also handled the contract management for the company.
• Copyright Protection: Coordinated raids and other enforcement actions through exertnal agencies for ensuring protection of Copyrights and preventing illegal retransmission of signals or other infringement of Company property. Involved with the Intellectual Property strategy for protection of copyright of various television channels in India.

Jul 2004 – Jan 2006 · 1 yr 6 mos

• Represented premier financial institutions and also defended corporate houses in many cases, in various commercial litigation arising from financial transactions and in matters concerning company and contract laws.
• Advised and assisted banking institutions and corporate houses on statutory compliances and conducted due diligence exercises in loan transactions. Rendered opinions and drafted hypothecation, mortgage and conveyance deeds and generic instruments for banks and financial institutions.
• Company laws: Advised and assisted banking institutions in matters relating to Corporate Debt Restructuring, Amalgamation of Companies and Scheme of Arrangment.

Dec 2003 – Jul 2004 · 7 mos · Thrissur, Kerala

• Represented various clients in criminal and civil litigations before the magistrate, munsiff, sessions and district courts;
• Handled legal research for various criminal and civil trials;
• Drafted plaints, written statements, notices, replies etc.

Jul 2003 – Dec 2003 · 5 mos · Thrissur, Kerala

• Assisting in drafting and litigation. Assisting in criminal and civil trials.