The Delhi High Court has recently strengthened protections for Bollywood celebrities against unauthorized commercial use of their personality traits, including images, voices, and likenesses, especially through AI-generated content and merchandise. Actors like Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, and filmmaker Karan Johar have secured judicial relief to prevent misuse, signaling growing recognition of personality rights in India’s digital era.
Personality rights safeguard an individual’s name, image, voice, and other unique features from commercial exploitation without consent. While India lacks a specific law for these rights, protections arise from privacy, defamation, and intellectual property laws. Landmark rulings, such as the 1994 Supreme Court judgment on privacy and the Madras High Court’s support for actor Rajinikanth’s claims, have shaped the legal framework.
The rise of AI deepfakes and voice cloning presents new challenges, prompting courts to extend strong protections. Recent judgments favor celebrities like Arijit Singh against AI misuse, emphasizing that unauthorized commercial use harms reputation and dignity. However, courts carefully balance personality rights with free expression, allowing parody, satire, and criticism.
Experts advocate for comprehensive legislation to unify protections and clarify exceptions, addressing broader concerns like deepfake abuse and revenge pornography affecting all citizens. As digital misuse grows, enforcement remains a challenge, highlighting the urgent need for clearer laws to protect individual identity in India’s evolving digital landscape.
