EKTA ASRANI
Media and Entertainment Lawyer
Mumbai
Summary
A seasoned legal professional with over 13 years of experience in Media & Entertainment law, specializing in copyright and trademark laws, media contracts, music rights and business legal strategy. Expert in negotiating complex contracts, including acquisition, production, syndication, and talent agreements and pre-litigation advisory, strategy and management
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Manager
Star India Private Limited (JV With Viacom18)
11.2021 - Current
- Experienced in drafting acquisition and production agreements for films and web series like Dhak Dhak, Gaanth, Murder in Mahim, and Transition In Out (Viacom18 Motion Pictures), as well as agreements for Splitsvilla (Season 15) and Khalbali Records (Colosceum Media).
- Handled talent, music licensing, book adaptation, personality rights, and merchandise agreements, including music NOCs and consent letters for non-fiction shows. Managed HR and Facilities Management agreements.
- Negotiated high-value syndication agreements for Digital and TV rights, ensuring favourable outcomes and breach-free rights licensing.
- Established compliance systems, collaborated across teams, and led training initiatives for effective implementation.
- Conducted legal reviews for films/ web series released by Viacom18 Motion Pictures and mentored junior colleagues for growth.
- Managed drafting and provided advisory for (a) the non-fiction show Inventor Challenge on Colors Infinity, (b) merchandise agreements for Fighter, and (c) format license agreements for the theatrical release of Fighter, including IMAX.
Manager Legal
Star India Private Limited
12.2018 - 10.2021
- Film Acquisition for the Hindi GEC Channels
- IP Acquisition: Liaising with commercial team for acquisition of movies for the channels
- Drafting and negotiating agreements for content acquisition
- IP Syndication: Provide legal support and advice to the syndication team along with providing rights clearance for the same
- Due Diligence: Conducting due diligence of various titles acquired for the channels (genre: movies), reviewing and perfecting chain of title with respect to rights and clearances for the same
- IP Dispute Resolution: Drafting notices/response to the objections or infringement notices received against the films licensed to the company
- Liaising with the litigation team for the same and provide support to the team with research and prepare necessary background information on the matters
- Trademark: Providing legal support on trademark matters: TM search, filing of the application in relevant classes for better protection, identifying IP that can be protected & aid the business in creating new business opportunities upon exploiting the IP assets of the company
- Drafting supporting documents: Devolution letter, declarations and clarity letters, release letters and NOCs
- Collaborating with external counsels/law firms to seek necessary advisory from time to time
Senior Associate
Singh&Singh | Malhotra&Hegde
05.2015 - 12.2018
- Copyright:
- Contracts
- Media and Entertainment
- Drafting/ Vetting and Negotiating:
- License and Assignment Agreement including music acquisition agreements for a well-known OTT music streaming platform
- Pre-Production, Production and Post-Production Agreements
- NDAs and NOCs
- Drafting Statutory Licensing Notices
- Advising and Strategizing with the business team to bring negotiations to a quick closure
- Drafting replies to infringement notices issued by various Copyright Societies in India and advising on the way forward
- Liaising with the business teams across various sectors, value addition in commercials and Management of contractual compliances
- Trademark Prosecution:
- E-filing of Trademark Applications
- Guiding the business teams of the client with selecting the appropriate trademark
- Conducting Trademark search and drawing elaborate analysis
- Due-diligence and Trademark portfolio management
- Maintenance of Trademarks including:
- Advising and filing: Assignment, licensing and various other pre/post-registration request before the Indian Trademark Registry(s)
- Monitoring trademark infringement activities by third parties
- Drafting: response to the examination reports, notice of opposition, counter statements, user affidavits, assignment deeds, affidavits and other ancillary documents required for the purpose of TM prosecution
- Cease & Desist notices and response to such notices
- Hearings: appeared before trademark registry in various jurisdictions for show cause, opposition, post-registration hearings
- Others: Handling matters related to Domain Name Disputes and Cybersquatting
- Litigation:
- Drafting and filing Plaint/ Writ Petition/ Caveats/ Notice of Motion/ Affidavits
- Briefing Senior Counsels along with the Partner and the Managing Partner of the Firm
- Shadowed the Managing Partner of the Firm in matters before the Hon’ble High Court at Bombay (IP Infringement matters only)
Associate
IP GURUS
08.2012 - 05.2014
- TM Search:
- Advising clients both Indian and International in connection with matters related to Trademark prosecution
- Conducting Trademark searches and drawing related analysis with respect to the Indian Trademark Law
- Conducting Trademark searches at the USPTO and drawing related analysis with respect to the US Trademark Law
- Maintenance of Trademarks, advising and filing assignment and renewal applications
- Hearings:
- Shadowed the senior associates during hearing in connection with the post registration proceedings for Trademarks
- Drafting and reviewing:
- Assignment deeds, responses to office actions, counter statements and user affidavits
- Others:
- Shadowed senior associates in drafting complaints for domain name disputes proceedings
- Assisted senior associates in drafting affidavit for evidence in connection with an ongoing litigation proceeding
Education
Master of Laws (LLM) - Intellectual Property
Franklin Pierce Law Center, UNH School of Law
Concord, New Hampshire, USA 04.2001 -
BA LLB - 5 Years Integrated Course
BhartiVidyapeeth, New Law College
Pune India 04.2001 -
CIPP/E - Data Privacy
International Association of Privacy Professionals
04.2001 -
Timeline
Senior Manager
Star India Private Limited (JV With Viacom18)
11.2021 - Current
Manager Legal
Star India Private Limited
12.2018 - 10.2021
Senior Associate
Singh&Singh | Malhotra&Hegde
05.2015 - 12.2018
Associate
IP GURUS
08.2012 - 05.2014
Master of Laws (LLM) - Intellectual Property
Franklin Pierce Law Center, UNH School of Law
04.2001 -
BA LLB - 5 Years Integrated Course
BhartiVidyapeeth, New Law College
04.2001 -
CIPP/E - Data Privacy
International Association of Privacy Professionals
04.2001 -
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