25 March,2026 02:56 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Pawan Kalyan
Actor-politician Pawan Kalyan recently scored legal victories across multiple courts. The Andhra Pradesh High Court passed its judgment dismissing a petition seeking to ban him from pursuing acting during his tenure as Deputy CM of the state. At the same time, the Delhi High Court also granted him protection against the misuse of his identity through AI.
A petition was filed by former IAS officer Vijay Kumar earlier last year, who alleged that Pawan Kalyan had misused his official position and government funds in connection with his film Hari Hara Veera Mallu. In the plea, Kumar also called for restrictions on his promotional and commercial activities, as well as an investigation into alleged misuse of state resources.
However, during the hearing today, the court stated that it found no legal basis for such restrictions. Delivering the verdict in the case, Justice Dr Jyotirmayi Pratapa rejected the plea. Notably, the judge had earlier reserved orders on September 24, 2025, after hearing arguments from both sides.
The court agreed with the submissions made by Advocate General Dammalapati Srinivas and Additional Advocate General Ivana Sambasiva Pratap, who argued that there is no such prohibition under law preventing elected representatives from engaging in film-related activities, including acting and promotions. The Andhra Pradesh HC ruled that there is no constitutional or statutory provision that prevents a public representative from continuing a professional career, such as acting. The judgment indicated that holding public office does not automatically restrict private employment opportunities.
During the hearings in 2025, the state government had opposed the petition, arguing that the claims did not carry credible evidence. It also highlighted that similar precedents exist, including political leaders like NT Rama Rao, who successfully balanced cinema and public office during his tenure.
In its final ruling, the High Court passed its judgment dismissing the petition, noting that the allegations failed to establish any actionable misuse of authority.
On the other hand, the Ustaad Bhagat Singh actor also secured relief in a personality rights case as well. The Delhi High Court granted Pawan interim protection against the unauthorised use of his name, image, voice, and AI-generated deepfakes, reinforcing his personality rights in the digital space. Notably, the Delhi HC had earlier halted an AI-generated project that allegedly misused the identity of his son, Akira Nandan.
In addition to these, a Bengaluru court also issued a John Doe injunction in relation to his recent film Ustaad Bhagat Singh, which prevents the circulation of defamatory or pirated content.
