The Delhi High Court has delivered a major victory to actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, ruling against the unauthorised use of her name, image, and likeness — including through AI-generated deepfakes and morphed content.
Justice Tejas Karia passed an ex parte ad-interim injunction on Thursday, restraining several websites, platforms, and unnamed entities from exploiting Rai’s persona for commercial or personal gain.
Right to Privacy and Dignity Upheld
The court held that the unauthorised use of her identity not only causes financial loss but also harms her dignity, reputation, and goodwill.
“Personality rights allow a person to control and protect how their image, name, and likeness are used. Misuse can mislead the public into believing she endorses products or services,” Justice Karia observed, underscoring that such violations affect the right to live with dignity.
Defendants and Platforms Named
The defendants in the case include websites such as aishwaryaworld.com, apkpure.com, bollywoodteeshop.com, kashcollectiveco.com, e-commerce platform Etsy, chatbot site jainatorai.com, YouTube channels, Google LLC, the Ministry of Electronics and IT, and the Department of Telecommunications.
The court directed:
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Google to remove the URLs listed in the suit within 72 hours and share subscriber details in a sealed cover.
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MeitY to block the URLs within seven days.
AI-Generated Obscene Content Flagged
Rai’s plea alleged that defendants were using AI and deepfake technology to create and circulate sexually explicit morphed videos and images of her.
Senior Advocate Sandeep Sethi, representing Rai, said:
“Completely unreal intimate photographs of the actor are being circulated. Her name and likeness are being used to satisfy someone’s sexual desires. This is very unfortunate.”
He also highlighted the illegal sale of T-shirts and mugs carrying her images without consent.
Significance of the Ruling
This judgment is being seen as a landmark in personality rights and AI misuse cases, setting a precedent for protection against deepfakes and online exploitation of celebrity identities.
