Abhishek Bachchan moves Delhi HC seeking personality rights protection

In his suit, Abhishek Bachchan has raised issues similar to those raised by Aishwarya, highlighting unauthorised misuse, including AI-generated and deepfakes of his image and persona

Actor Abhishek Bachchan on Wednesday approached the Delhi High Court seeking protection of his personality rights, a day after actor and his wife Aishwarya Rai Bachchan moved the court for similar relief.

 

In 2022, Amitabh Bachchan had sought similar protection from the Delhi High Court, which had passed an interim order restraining people from unauthorised use of his celebrity status to promote goods and services without his permission.

 

In his suit, Abhishek has raised issues similar to those raised by Aishwarya, highlighting unauthorised misuse, including AI-generated and deepfakes of his image and persona for the sale of merchandise as well as in pornographic content. 

Highlighting the infringement of his personality and publicity rights by various YouTube channels, online marketplaces, and merchandise sites, Abhishek, through his counsel, told Justice Tejas Karia that autographs, and merchandise were being sold without authorisation. 

 

Referring to such infringing content, Abhishek’s counsel Pravin Anand contended, “All fake. There are videos using AI technologies to distort, a level which can create misunderstanding…may see how insulting that can get…It’s all fake news.”

 

On Tuesday, while hearing Aishwarya’s petition, Justice Karia had orally remarked that he would pass orders of injunction or takedown against the infringing entities.

 

Aishwarya had also pointed out that unknown entities are collecting money by claiming association with her, and circulating morphed images.

 

“These are not images belonging to Aishwarya Rai, nor has she authorised such images. All are AI-generated. (There are) some intimate photographs which are completely unreal,” Rai’s counsel had argued.

 

In 2023, the Bachchans had moved the Delhi HC seeking action against misleading information by certain miscreants for “the sake of puerile publicity”.

 

They had said miscreants circulated videos on YouTube, alleging that their daughter Aaradhaya was critically ill and one of the videos had even claimed that she was no more. They had also alleged that morphed pictures were used in the said videos.

 

Personality rights, also known as the right of publicity, are the inherent rights of an individual to control and profit from the commercial use of their name, image, voice, likeness, and other unique attributes. They are a part of Trademark laws.