With the rise of social media and AI, many celebrities' photos and videos are being morphed and circulated online, particularly on Instagram. Most of these AI-generated clips portray celebrities in inappropriate situations, causing serious damage to their image and reputation. In addition, brands and influencers often misuse celebrity voices for memes or personal content without consent.
So far, stars like Amitabh Bachchan, Jackie Shroff, and Shah Rukh Khan have fallen prey to such misuse. The latest victim is Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, whose voice, photos, and videos have been used without authorisation across various social media platforms.
Recently, Aishwarya's photo appeared on the letterhead of a firm called Aishwarya Nation Wealth, which falsely listed her as its chairperson. The website also offered wallpapers and T-shirts featuring her images for sale.
This misuse has now come to the former Miss World's notice. On Tuesday, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan moved the Delhi High Court, seeking to restrain people from using her name, images, and AI-generated content without her authorisation, according to Bar and Bench. Her counsel presented details of unauthorised usage of her images before the court.
In his arguments, lawyer Sethi pointed out the fraudulent use of her picture by Aishwarya Nation Wealth, "My client has no prior knowledge of them, nor has she entered into any conversation with them. There is fraudulent intent," he said.
After hearing the plea, Justice Tejas Karia indicated that an ad-interim order would be passed to caution platforms and individuals against morphing Aishwarya Rai's images or exploiting her personality without permission.
Justice Karia said, "We will pass orders against each of the defendants. The prayers are wide. If we can pass a common order, we will. Otherwise, injunctions will be passed separately."
The court has listed the matter for further proceedings before the Joint Registrar on November 7 and for a hearing on January 15, 2026.
Similar cases
This is not the first such case. In May 2024, Bollywood veteran Jackie Shroff approached the court against unauthorised merchandise and distorted videos made for commercial gain. The court upheld his personality and publicity rights.
Earlier, in 2023, actor Anil Kapoor secured protection over his name, image, voice, and signature catchphrase "jhakaas," preventing misuse for profit. Similarly, in November 2022, the Delhi High Court restrained individuals from infringing upon Amitabh Bachchan's personality and publicity rights.
