Delhi HC asks Kriti Sanon’s counsel to submit research on personality rights

Kriti Sanon has approached the Delhi High Court seeking protection of her personality and publicity rights against alleged unauthorised use of her identity, including AI-generated content. The court asked her counsel to submit relevant research before the next hearing on October 29

New Delhi: Bollywood actor Kriti Sanon has approached the Delhi High Court seeking protection of her personality and publicity rights against the alleged unauthorised use of her name, image, likeness and other identity attributes, including in AI-generated content and digital impersonation.

The matter came up for hearing before a single-judge Bench of Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav, who asked the actor’s counsel to place on record a compilation of relevant judgments, research papers and other material on the legal issues surrounding personality rights.

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The High Court indicated that it would pass a comprehensive order after examining the judgments and other research material submitted before it.

The matter has been listed for further hearing on October 29.

The development comes amid a growing number of personality rights disputes before the Delhi High Court involving allegations of AI-generated impersonation, deepfakes, fake endorsements and unauthorised commercial exploitation of public figures’ identities.

Several high-profile personalities have approached the High Court seeking protection of their personality and publicity rights. In recent months, former cricketers Gautam Gambhir and Sunil Gavaskar, spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, actors Arjun Kapoor, Allu Arjun, Nagarjuna, Varun Dhawan, Kajol, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan and Naga Chaitanya, singer Jubin Nautiyal, filmmaker Karan Johar, podcaster Raj Shamani and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor have secured or sought court protection against the unauthorised use of their identities, likenesses or AI-generated imitations.

Recently, the Delhi High Court issued summons in a suit filed by actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut seeking protection of her personality and publicity rights against the alleged unauthorised use and misuse of her identity, including through pornographic and obscene content circulated on digital platforms.

The High Court also issued notice on her application seeking an interim injunction.

A single-judge Bench of Justice Vikas Mahajan had asked Ranaut’s counsel to identify the defendants against whom a takedown order was being sought. The court indicated that it could consider an appropriate order on the interim injunction application after the details were furnished. It also directed her counsel to file a revised memo of parties after certain defendants were removed from the proceedings.