Hrithik Roshan moves Delhi High Court to protect his personality rights

Days after veteran playback singer Kumar Sanu approached the Delhi High Court seeking protection of his personality rights, Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan has taken a similar step.

Roshan has filed a plea before the court to safeguard his name, image, likeness and other aspects of his personality from unauthorised commercial use and misuse, Bar and Bench reported. The Delhi High Court is expected to hear the matter on Wednesday.

Celebrities Turn to Courts as AI Deepfakes Surge

With generative AI and deepfake technologies proliferating, a growing number of Indian celebrities — from film stars and playback legends to industrialists — are seeking judicial intervention to safeguard their personality and publicity rights. These legal protections aim to prevent the unauthorised commercial exploitation of a person’s name, image, voice, likeness or even signature catchphrases.

Over the past several months, many prominent personalities — including Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Amitabh Bachchan, Jackie Shroff, Anil Kapoor, Abhishek Bachchan, Kumar Sanu and even the late Ratan Tata — have approached the Delhi High Court seeking injunctions against online misuse of their identity, much of it linked to AI-generated content.

Why Personality Rights Matter

Personality rights — also referred to as publicity rights — grant individuals legal control over the commercial use of their identity, encompassing their name, image, voice, gestures, mannerisms and phrases. These rights act as a safeguard against unauthorised exploitation, protecting both reputation and economic interests.

While India does not yet have a dedicated statute governing personality rights, courts have consistently recognised and enforced them under Article 21 of the Constitution — which guarantees the right to privacy — and through common law principles such as passing off and misappropriation of goodwill.

Legal Frontiers in the Age of AI

The rapid rise of deepfake and generative AI technologies has made the protection of personality rights increasingly urgent. Celebrities are voicing concerns over a range of issues — from fake profiles and unauthorised merchandising to AI-cloned voices and manipulated explicit content. In response, courts have directed online platforms to remove infringing material and block unlawful websites.

Legal experts believe this trend is likely to accelerate as India grapples with the regulatory challenges posed by emerging technologies. Until dedicated legislation is introduced, judicial precedents are expected to remain the primary tool for celebrities seeking to assert control over their digital identities and prevent unauthorised commercial exploitation in the AI era.