Bollywood icon Aishwarya Rai Bachchan approached the Delhi High Court to protect her personality and publicity rights, addressing unauthorized use of her name, images, and AI-generated content. The court, led by Justice Tejas Karia, signaled its intent to issue injunctions to halt such misuse, with further proceedings scheduled for January 15, 2026.
Senior Advocate Sandeep Sethi, representing Rai, highlighted the widespread exploitation of her identity for commercial gain and inappropriate content. He cited websites falsely posing as her official platforms, selling unauthorized merchandise like T-shirts, mugs, and drinkware bearing her likeness. Sethi specifically called out aishwaryaworld.com for claiming to be her authorized site without permission. He also pointed to a fraudulent entity, Aishwarya Nation Wealth, which listed Rai as its chairperson on official documents despite no affiliation.
The petition raised concerns about AI-generated, sexually explicit images and manipulated content circulating online. Sethi described these actions as a violation of Rai’s dignity, emphasizing that such misuse, including morphed photographs, was both deceptive and harmful. The court was presented with evidence of fake endorsements and fraudulent schemes exploiting her persona.
Justice Karia indicated that ad-interim orders would likely be issued to caution defendants, with specific injunctions tailored to each violator. Advocate Mamta Rani, representing Google, noted that precise URLs must be provided for content removal. The court suggested using the Blocking and Screening Instructions (BSI) mechanism to facilitate takedowns.
Rai’s legal team, including advocates Pravin Anand and Dhruv Anand, also sought “John Doe” orders to address unidentified infringers. This case follows similar Delhi High Court rulings protecting celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan and Anil Kapoor, recognizing personality rights under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, as per Live Law. The proceedings reflect a growing trend of celebrities seeking legal safeguards against digital identity misuse.
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