Aishwarya Rai Bachchan moves Delhi High Court to safeguard personality rights
The actress reportedly seeks legal shield against unauthorised use of her name, image and persona amid rising deepfake concerns.
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Bollywood actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has reportedly approached the Delhi High Court seeking protection of her personality rights. The matter is being heard by Justice Tejas Karia.
Her petition comes against the backdrop of increasing instances where celebrities’ names, voices, and likenesses are being misused without consent, especially with the proliferation of AI-generated deepfake content.
Read more: Battle for identity: Growing concerns over personality rights in an AI-driven digital age
The move follows similar legal battles fought by Amitabh Bachchan, Anil Kapoor, and more recently Jackie Shroff, who obtained interim reliefs from the Delhi High Court to prevent unauthorised commercial exploitation of their identities.
In 2024, the court restrained multiple social media accounts, AI chatbots, and e-commerce websites from using Shroff’s persona for commercial purposes without permission. In June, the Delhi High Court issued a "dynamic+" injunction order restraining rogue websites and social media accounts from misusing AI to falsely represent spiritual leader Sadhguru, also known as Jagadish "Jaggi" Vasudev.
Lawyers argue that personality rights, though not codified in Indian statutes, flow from constitutional guarantees under Articles 19 and 21, and intersect with intellectual property protections. Advocate Ameet Naik, who has represented several film stars in such cases, has previously explained that personality rights are an extension of publicity rights, ensuring that a celebrity retains control over the commercial use of their identity.
It is to be noted that this is not the first time the Bachchan family has turned to the courts for protection.
In 2023, Aishwarya’s daughter Aaradhya Bachchan successfully sought an injunction against a YouTube tabloid spreading false news about her health. The court had then directed Google to take down the videos, emphasising that children, whether celebrity or not, deserve dignity and protection from harmful misinformation.
Aishwarya recently became the second richest actress in India with a soaring net worth of ₹900 crore, cementing her legacy as a global icon and Bollywood powerhouse.
