New Delhi, Sept. 11 — The Delhi High Court has restrained multiple online platforms from using Bollywood actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s name, likeness, and images without consent, holding that such unauthorized exploitation violates her personality rights and endangers her right to live with dignity.
Justice Tejas Karia, passing an interim order on September 9 that was made public on Thursday, noted that unapproved use of a celebrity’s identity not only causes financial harm but can also damage their personal reputation.
“The courts in such cases of unauthorised exploitation of one’s personality rights cannot turn a blind eye. They must protect the aggrieved parties to avert any harm resulting from such unauthorised exploitation,” the court observed.
The ruling came on a plea filed by Rai, who sought protection against misuse of her personality rights, including her name, image, likeness, persona, and voice. She also sought restraint against the circulation of AI-generated pornographic content.
The court said the actor had established a strong prima facie case for an injunction. “Balance of convenience lies in favour of the plaintiff, and if an injunction is not granted, it will lead to irreparable loss and harm to the plaintiff and her family, not only financially but also with respect to her right to live with dignity,” the order stated.
Rai’s plea argued that websites and online sellers were misappropriating aspects of her identity for commercial gain without authorization. The different facets she sought to protect included her name, voice, images, unique style of dialogue delivery, and signature.
Among those named as defendants were websites such as aishwaryaworld.com, apkpure.com, bollywoodteeshop.com, and kashcollectiveco.com, which allegedly sold merchandise using her name and photographs without permission.
The suit also listed e-commerce platform Etsy, an entity called “Aishwarya Nation Wealth Motivational Speaker,” AI-based chatbots, YouTube channels including @NewNWSTamil and @Bollywood_CinemaTV07, as well as Google LLC, the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, and the Department of Telecommunications.
The court’s order underscores that personality rights — also known as publicity rights — grant individuals the power to protect, control, and profit from their identity, including image, likeness, and name.
By granting interim protection, the Delhi High Court has reinforced that misusing a public figure’s persona for commercial purposes without consent is not only a violation of intellectual property but also an affront to their personal dignity.
