Akshay Kumar secures legal protection from unauthorized use of AI-generated content : Bollywood News
The Bombay High Court has granted interim relief in favor of actor Akshay Kumar, protecting him from unauthorized use of his image, likeness and voice through AI-generated content and deepfakes. This order marks an important step in the ongoing debate over celebrity personality rights and the ethical use of artificial intelligence in the media.
Akshay Kumar gets legal protection against unauthorized use of AI-generated content
Justice Arif Doctor observed that such misuse of a public figure’s image “not only harms his stature but has enormous consequences”, underscoring the growing urgency to combat identity theft and misinformation induced by emerging technologies. The order follows a civil suit filed by the actor, legally known as Akshay Hari Om Bhatia, to prevent individuals and online platforms from exploiting his personality without his consent.
Representing Kumar, senior advocate Birendra Saraf argued that the issue transcends personal injury and has wider implications for public trust. “These acts seriously damage the goodwill and reputation of the plaintiff, dilute his personality and publicity rights, mislead the public and constitute unfair competition and unjust enrichment,” Saraf said, urging the court to protect digital identity rights.
The petition outlines several instances of deepfake misuse – including a fabricated film trailer showing Akshay as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and another clip falsely depicting him making remarks about Rishi Valmiki, which led to public backlash and forced clarifications from the actor. In one case, a platform called Akshaykumar.ai allegedly allowed users to generate synthetic audio imitating his voice and style.
Saraf also highlighted concerns about counterfeit merchandise, cloned social media accounts and fake endorsements circulating under Kumar’s name on platforms including YouTube, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook, as well as on dark web lists.
The plea sought a John Doe injunction against known and unknown entities, requiring intermediaries, e-commerce platforms and domain registrars to identify perpetrators and remove infringing content.
The court’s interim order aligns with a growing trend of Indian celebrities seeking protection from AI impersonations – the Bombay High Court has already granted similar relief to Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Suniel Shetty, Karan Johar, Rishab Shetty and Asha Bhosle, who were confronted with misuse of voice and image.
Also read: Akshay Kumar asks Bombay High Court to protect his personality rights amid AI deepfake threat
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