Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has approached the Delhi High Court seeking judicial protection over her personality rights. She filed a petition targeting entities like aishwaryaworld.com and others that allegedly misuse her name, image, and likeness without permission—highlighting a growing problem where celebrities are exploited online in scams and promotional schemes.
The petition argues that several rogue platforms misleadingly present themselves as officially endorsed websites, offering merchandise—like T-shirts and mugs featuring her image—or sham wealth schemes falsely bearing her name and likeness. One such fraudulent “wealth fund” even listed her as chairperson in its misleading materials.
The case gained urgency due to a range of disturbing violations: AI-generated erotic deepfakes, manipulated images superimposed on objectionable content, and fabricated chat messages—all using her likeness in demeaning and potentially defamatory scenarios. Aishwarya’s counsel described these acts as direct assaults on her dignity, causing reputational and emotional harm.
At the hearing, Justice Tejas Karia noted that 151 URLs have been identified for inclusion in the court’s initial order. He indicated that interim injunctions would likely be issued against both the known infringers and anonymous “John Doe” defendants to prevent future misuse. The court intends to mandate the removal of offending content and oblige intermediaries—such as Google and YouTube—to take down infringing materials.
This legal intervention reflects an emerging trend of celebrities actively defending their identity rights in India. Recent judgments have upheld personality protections for public figures like Amitabh Bachchan, Anil Kapoor, and Jackie Shroff, recognizing such rights under the constitutional umbrella of privacy and dignity.
Though India lacks a dedicated personality rights law, its courts are increasingly interpreting such misuse as violations of constitutional privacy rights, supported by precedent. Legal experts acknowledge these lawsuits serve as necessary safeguards against deepfakes, impersonations, and reputational harm.
As Aishwarya awaits the final order, the case represents a significant moment in India’s digital era—underscoring the need for robust mechanisms that defend individuals against unauthorized use of their identity and reputation online.