Delhi High Court Restrains Unauthorized Use of Abhishek Bachchan Personality Rights Through Artificial Intelligence Tools

Delhi High Court Restrains Unauthorized Use of Abhishek Bachchan Personality Rights Through Artificial Intelligence Tools

The High Court of Delhi has issued a landmark ex-parte ad-interim injunction protecting the personality and publicity rights of acclaimed actor Abhishek Bachchan. Presided over by Justice Tejas Karia, the court acted to curb the unauthorized commercial exploitation of the actor’s name, image, and persona, which were being leveraged by various online platforms and social media channels, often through the illicit use of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Unauthorized Commercialization and Digital Infringement

The dispute arose after the plaintiff identified several entities using his likeness to market products—ranging from T-shirts and mugs to signed posters—without his consent. Furthermore, several YouTube channels were flagged for generating "unsavoury" AI-generated content depicting the actor. The plaintiff argued that his personality is a protected asset, and such unauthorized use not only dilutes his brand equity but also poses a severe risk to his professional reputation and contractual obligations with legitimate endorsement partners.

Legal Arguments and Court Intervention

Counsel for the plaintiff emphasized that the actor’s persona possesses distinct commercial value, built over years of consistent professional conduct. By misappropriating these attributes, the defendants created a false perception of affiliation or endorsement among the general public. Relying on recent precedents, including * Anil Kapoor v. Simply Life India * and * Amitabh Bachchan v. Rajat Nagi *, the court recognized that the unauthorized use of a celebrity’s persona—especially when bolstered by AI technology—constitutes an infringement that requires immediate judicial intervention to prevent irreparable harm.

Key Observations

The court’s reasoning underscored the necessity of protecting individuals from the digital erosion of their identity. Justice Tejas Karia observed:

• "It is well-settled that the unauthorized commercial exploitation of Personality Rights directly impacts the economic interests as well as the dignity of the concerned individual."
• "The use of technology to depict the Plaintiff in settings that are misleading, derogatory or inappropriate, intrudes upon the Plaintiff’s right to privacy."
• "Any infringement of the Plaintiff’s Personality Rights will lead to dilution of the Plaintiff’s reputation and goodwill that he has garnered over the years."
• "There can be no justification for any unauthorised website or platform to mislead consumers into believing that they are permitted to collect fee by incorrectly portraying that they can bring the Plaintiff."

Scope of the Interim Order

The High Court of Delhi has ordered the immediate take-down of infringing content across several identified URLs. The defendants are strictly restrained from utilizing the actor’s name, voice, image, or any other persona-based attributes for commercial gain. Additionally, platforms hosting the content, including Google LLC (YouTube) and e-commerce giants, have been directed to disclose subscriber information of the infringing account holders to aid in further legal proceedings.

This order reaffirms the judiciary's proactive stance in safeguarding individual dignity and intellectual property against the misuse of emerging technologies like Generative AI and deepfake manipulation. The matter is now scheduled for further proceedings on January 15, 2026.