Ajay Devgn’s petition highlighted widespread misuse of his identity, including obscene deepfakes, unauthorised merchandise, and false paid-appearance ads. The court ordered the immediate removal of all illegal AI-generated and explicit content
Ajay Devgn
On Thursday, the Delhi High Court gave major relief to Bollywood star Ajay Devgn, protecting his personality and publicity rights. The court imposed an interim order prohibiting many websites and digital platforms from utilising his name, appearance, voice, or any other aspect of his personality for commercial purposes.
Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora issued the ruling in response to Devgn's suit, adding him to a growing list of Indian celebrities, including Amitabh Bachchan, Anil Kapoor, and Karan Johar, who are turning to the courts for protection against identity theft in the digital age, particularly in light of the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and deepfakes.
Details on the case
Devgn's petition exposed widespread exploitation of his identity, including the distribution of illegal and filthy deepfake content. This included pornographic content and edited visuals showing him in "unpleasant" situations with female celebrities. His legal team contended that such content adversely impacted his reputation as a "family-friendly personality" sponsored by various major corporations.
Aside from outright deepfakes, the actor cited several other violations, such as E-commerce sites selling posters, clothes, and other products bearing Devgn's name and likeness without permission. Certain platforms falsely advertised paid appearances by Devgn, misled consumers and profited illegally from his celebrity. The action also sought to prohibit platforms like YouTube from utilising copyrighted material to train AI models, adding a significant dimension to current debates over digital rights and consent in the age of algorithmic learning.
All about the verdict
The High Court ordered the immediate removal of all AI-generated deepfakes, obscene movies, and sexually explicit content featuring Devgn, considering them illegal and detrimental.
The court acknowledged the presence of innocent fan-created content, clarifying that "you have to give some leeway to fan pages… he will have to erase his footsteps completely" if all general photographs were taken indiscriminately.
This verdict increases India's legal foundation for personality and publicity rights. It emphasises that an individual has complete control over the commercial use of their identity, and that such rights, which are rooted in the Right to Life under Article 21 of the Constitution, cannot be used without explicit authorisation. The decision is a critical precaution against the growing threat of digital impersonation, deepfakes, and unauthorised AI usage, and it establishes an important precedent for celebrity rights in the changing digital context.
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