Aishwarya moves court to stop misuse of name, images; Delhi HC to rule on personality rights
The counsel representing Aishwarya Rai submitted to the court details of her images being used without authorisation.
AISHWARYA Rai Bachchan on Tuesday moved the Delhi High Court, appealing to restrain people from using her name, images and AI-generated content without her authorisation, reported the Bar and Bench.
The report added that the counsel representing the Bollywood actor submitted details of her images being used without authorisation to the court.
Sandeep Sethi, the actor's counsel, also made submissions about AI-generated content on the actor's social media.
"It is shocking. Her morphed pictures are being used. It is all AI-generated. There are intimate photographs, completely unreal... Her image, her persona, her likeness is being used to satisfy someone’s sexual desire. He [defendant] is collecting money by putting my face and name," the Bar and Bench quoted him as saying.
In his argument, Sethi pointed to a firm named Aishwarya Nation Wealth that used Aishwarya Rai's picture on its letterhead and named her its chairperson.
"My client has no prior knowledge or entered into any conversation with them. There is fraudulent intent," he said.
After hearing the petition, Justice Tejas Karia hinted that he would pass an ad-interim order cautioning platforms and individuals morphing Aishwarya Rai's images or using her personality without authorisation.
"We will pass order against each of the defendant, the prayers are wide. If we can pass common order. We will pass injunction separately," the Bar and Bench quoted Justice Tejas Karia.
Previous cases
Prior to Aishwarya Rai, Bollywood veteran Jackie Shroff moved the court in May, alleging that activities such as selling merchandise featuring him and creating distorted videos of the actor appeared, prima facie, to generate commercial gain through the “unauthorised exploitation” of his personality and publicity rights. The court had safeguarded his personality and publicity rights.
Also, in 2023, the court restrained the misuse of name, image, voice, and other attributes of persona, including actor Anil Kapoor's “jhakaas” catchphrase, for commercial gain, reported Hindustan Times.
Not only this, the high court in November 2022, had also restrained persons at large from infringing veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan’s personality and publicity rights.
