Delhi High Court Grants Personality Rights Protection To Actor Naga Chaitanya
Court protects actor’s personality rights against misuse.
The Delhi High Court has granted interim protection to Telugu film actor Akkineni Naga Chaitanya in a case concerning the alleged unauthorised use of his name, image, and artificially generated content online. The court has restrained third parties from circulating pornographic material and AI-generated visuals that depict the actor in inappropriate or misleading scenarios, marking a significant step in safeguarding personality rights in the digital age.
The interim order was passed by Justice Jyoti Singh on May 29 while hearing a civil suit filed by Naga Chaitanya seeking protection of his personality and publicity rights. The court directed the immediate removal of objectionable content from various online platforms and also prohibited the unauthorised sale of merchandise that uses the actor’s name, image, or likeness for commercial gain without consent.
According to submissions made by the actor’s senior counsel, several websites were allegedly misusing Naga Chaitanya’s name as a search tag or category to host pornographic video content. The plea further stated that such misuse was not only misleading the public but also causing significant and irreparable harm to the actor’s reputation, brand value, and professional standing in the entertainment industry.
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The counsel also informed the court that multiple online platforms, including video-sharing websites, were hosting AI-generated images and manipulated content portraying the actor in defamatory or explicit contexts. It was further argued that certain individuals and online sellers were exploiting his popularity by distributing merchandise bearing his likeness without any authorisation, thereby violating his legal and publicity rights.
In its interim observations, the court noted that Naga Chaitanya is a well-recognised public figure in the Indian film industry and is entitled to protection of his name, image, voice, and likeness from unauthorised commercial exploitation or defamatory misuse. The court’s order reflects an increasing judicial recognition of personality rights in India, particularly in cases involving digital manipulation, deepfake technology, and AI-generated content that can easily circulate on social media platforms.
The case highlights a growing legal challenge faced by public figures in the era of rapidly advancing artificial intelligence tools, where realistic but fabricated content can be created and distributed at scale. The matter remains under further judicial consideration, while interim directions for content removal and restraint on misuse of identity continue to remain in force.
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