Court protects Varun Dhawan's personality rights after Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Kumar Sanu, Salman Khan, Kartik Aaryan, directs removal of deepfakes

As concerns around AI-generated content continue to grow, more celebrities are turning to the courts to safeguard their personality rights. Actor Varun Dhawan is the latest celebrity to secure legal protection, with the Delhi High Court granting him interim relief in a case involving the alleged misuse of his identity.

According to Bar and Bench, the court has directed the removal of AI-generated deepfakes, unauthorized merchandise listings, and other online content that allegedly exploits the actor’s name and likeness without his consent. In an order passed on May 29, Justice Jyoti Singh observed that Varun is entitled to legal protection against such misuse of his personality rights.

The court said that multiple websites and online platforms had allegedly used the actor’s name, voice, image, and other distinctive attributes without authorization. It also highlighted instances where AI-generated content depicted him in objectionable and pornographic scenarios, raising concerns about potential damage to his public image.

Addressing the issue, the court stated, “Plaintiff is entitled to protection against dissemination of pornographic content as well as AI-generated images portraying him in an inappropriate scenario. Such distasteful content is harming and damaging the reputation of the Plaintiff and may mislead the public into believing what is depicted may be true. Plaintiff’s right to restrain third parties from infringing and passing off also needs to be preserved."

In addition, the court instructed various websites, e-commerce platforms, and social media intermediaries to refrain from using Varun Dhawan’s name, image, voice, signature, or any other identifiable aspect of his personality for either commercial or personal gain without obtaining his permission.

The order also directed major technology companies, including Google, Meta, and X, to disclose information related to users who may be creating or circulating such content without authorization. During the proceedings, Varun Dhawan’s counsel, Senior Advocate Sandeep Sethi, argued that several platforms were allegedly leveraging the actor’s identity to market and sell products without his consent.

The ruling marks another significant step in the ongoing legal battle against AI-driven impersonation and the unauthorized commercial exploitation of celebrity identities in the digital age.