Delhi HC Grants Personality Rights Protection to Pawan Kalyan Against Deepfakes and Misuse
Delhi HC restrains websites from unauthorised use of Pawan Kalyan's name and images for commercial gain.
The Delhi High Court has taken a strong stand in protecting the personality rights of Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Actor Pawan Kalyan. The court restrained several websites and online platforms from using his name, images, or other personal attributes for commercial gain without his consent. The decision followed a plea filed by Kalyan, seeking protection from unauthorized usage of his likeness through artificial intelligence and deepfake technology.
Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, who presided over the case, noted that the continuing availability of infringing content would cause “irreparable injury” to Kalyan. The court’s order, dated December 22, specifically applied to 14 entities, including e-commerce websites and unnamed John Doe persons, barring them from exploiting his personality traits until the next hearing scheduled for May 12.
The court observed that Kalyan, being a public figure and serving deputy chief minister, had his images, voice, name, and likeness used without authorization to sell merchandise for commercial purposes. The judgment highlighted that the defendants were employing AI software on their websites to commercially exploit Kalyan’s persona, which violated his right to publicity.
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Additionally, the court addressed concerns about social media impersonation. Accounts that simulated Kalyan’s identity were directed to include a clear description such as “fan account” in their profiles to prevent misleading the public. This move aligns with efforts to curb misuse of celebrity likeness and ensure transparency for users online.
The right to publicity, or personality rights, allows individuals to control, protect, and profit from their image, name, or likeness. Over recent years, several other public figures, including Bollywood actors Hrithik Roshan, Ajay Devgn, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, and Telugu actor Akkineni Nagarjuna, have approached the Delhi High Court seeking similar protection for their personality rights, with interim relief granted in many cases.
With this ruling, the court has reinforced the principle that public figures cannot have their persona commercially exploited without consent, particularly through modern AI and digital platforms. Legal experts say this could set a significant precedent for celebrity rights in India as the use of deepfake technology and AI-generated content continues to rise.
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