The Delhi High Court has given major relief to Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, issuing an interim injunction against the unauthorized use of her name, images, and persona. The court said that such exploitation not only causes commercial loss but also damages her dignity and reputation.
Court Restrains Misuse of Aishwarya Rai’s Identity
Justice Tejas Karia, while hearing the case, ruled that no website, company, or individual can use Aishwarya Rai’s identity, likeness, or photos without consent. The court emphasized that misuse of a celebrity’s persona can:
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Create false endorsements
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Cause reputational harm
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Dilute brand value and goodwill
The injunction covers both digital platforms and AI-generated content, including deepfakes, morphed images, manipulated videos, and fraudulent merchandise.
Strong Action Against AI Deepfakes and Online Fraud
The High Court specifically barred the use of AI tools to create or circulate manipulated content of Aishwarya Rai. Defendants were restrained from:
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Producing or sharing deepfakes
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Selling unauthorized products (mugs, T-shirts, merchandise) with her image
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Associating her name with fake ventures, such as the fraudulent “Aishwarya Nation Wealth”
The bench also directed Google and other e-commerce platforms to remove flagged URLs within 72 hours. The Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) was asked to issue blocking directions for such content.
Legal Representation and Court Observations
Aishwarya Rai was represented by Senior Advocate Sandeep Sethi, along with a legal team including Pravin Anand, Ameet Naik, Madhu Gadodia, Dhruv Anand, and Udita Patro.
The court acknowledged Aishwarya Rai’s status as one of India’s most celebrated actors and global brand ambassadors. It observed that misuse of her persona through AI deepfakes and morphed images is a serious violation of personality rights.
Google’s Position in the Case
Google’s counsel, Advocate Mamta Rani, explained that the company could act only on specific flagged URLs. Justice Karia noted the limitation and clarified that Rai may submit such URLs for action or use the Blocking and Screening Instructions (BSI) process for broader enforcement.
Next Hearing Scheduled
The matter will be heard again on January 15, 2026. Until then, the interim injunction remains in effect, ensuring Aishwarya Rai’s personality and publicity rights are legally protected.
