Even before filing the suit, Madhavan had approached the social media platform against the infringing content. file | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The Delhi High Court on Monday (December 22, 2025) restrained Bollywood actor R. Singh from illegally using his name or images for commercial gains without his consent. Protected Madhavan’s personality rights.
The court also barred several defendants from using Mr Madhavan’s personality traits through artificial intelligence and deepfake technology and ordered the removal of some obscene material uploaded on the internet. Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora said she would pass a detailed interim order in the case.
“Issue an injunction on the grounds of sale of goods to defendants 1, 3 and 4 of the list and on the grounds of obscenity to defendant 2,” the court said.
Senior advocate Swati Sukumar, representing the actor, argued that one of the defendants has created a fake film trailer of Kesari 3 stating that the film is upcoming and posted deepfakes and AI-generated content in the capacity of Mr. Madhavan.
He said the actor had already contacted the social media platform against the infringing content before filing the suit.
This was presented before the court as the judge had recently taken the view that persons seeking immediate removal of objectionable online content should directly approach social media platforms before seeking judicial injunction.
The court was hearing a plea by Mr Madhavan seeking to protect his personality rights and restrain online platforms from illegally using his name, images and AI-generated inappropriate and sexually explicit content.
The suit relates to the misuse by the defendants of various aspects of Mr. Madhavan’s personality, including his name, image, likeness, persona and voice, for their commercial gain, without his consent.
Right of publicity, popularly known as personality right, is the right to protect, control and profit from one’s image, name or likeness.
Apart from Mr Madhavan, the court also heard similar personality rights suits filed by Telugu actor NTR Jr and Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan and said it would pass detailed interim orders.
Recently, Bollywood actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, her husband Abhishek Bachchan and her mother-in-law Jaya Bachchan, Hrithik Roshan and Ajay Devgan, filmmaker Karan Johar, singer Kumar Sanu, Telugu actor Akkineni Nagarjuna, ‘Art of Living’ founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, journalist Sudhir Chaudhary and podcaster Raj Shamani also approached the High Court to protect their personality and publicity rights. The court has given him interim relief.
Bollywood actor Salman Khan and former cricketer Sunil Gavaskar have also approached the Delhi High Court to protect their personality rights.
published – December 22, 2025 06:45 PM IST