Meet Lawyers Representing Aishwarya Rai, Abhishek Bachchan In Personality Rights Case: '...Not Just About Celebrities'

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Bollywood actors Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan have secured an interim protection from the Delhi High Court with regards to their personality rights and use of portraits for publicity.

Rai Bachchan is represented by a battery of lawyers including Senior Advocate Sandeep Sethi, and advocates Pravin Anand, Ameet Naik, Madhu Gadodia, Dhruv Anand, and Udita Patro; the case is being viewed as“very significant”, ANI reported.

Abhishek Bachchan is represented by advocate Pravin Anand, Ameet Naik, Madhu Gadodia and Dhruv Anand, who told the court that the defendants are creating AI-generated videos of the actor and creating fake photos signed by him and also sexually explicit material, as per a PTI report.

Notably, in 2023, the couple's daughter Aaradhya Bachchan had also moved the HC seeking to restrain and take down misleading content on her health, it added.

The right to publicity, popularly known as personality rights, is the right to protect, control, and profit from one's image, name, or likeness.

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Speaking to ANI, after the Delhi HC granted the interim protection, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's advocate Pravin Anand called the judgement one of“very significant importance” as there is no current legal framework around publicity rights in India.

“The Delhi HC has given a very significant decision in the case of Aishwarya Rai and this case is particularly important for the fact that it lays down a strong foundation for the right of publicity,” Anand said.

“The right of publicity in India is not protected by a statute... we protect it as an extension of the right of privacy under Article 21 of the Constitution,” he stated, explaining that it is not just about celebrities:“Right of publicity is not confined to celebrities but extends to every common person whose name, voice, or image is exploited on the internet. In today's digital world, different forms of exploitation are rampant, and this decision shows the courts are dealing with it with a strong hand.”

Appearing in court, senior advocate Sandeep Sethi informed the court that violations included unauthorised merchandise such as mugs, T-shirts, and drinkware being sold in the actor's name, as well as fraudulent entities like Aishwarya Nation Wealth, which falsely listed her as Chairperson.

Sethi also noted the circulation of obscene, morphed, and artificial intelligence (AI)-generated content , describing it as a gross violation of her dignity.

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Earlier in the day, the Delhi HC came down heavily on the unauthorised use of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's name, image, and persona, noting that such misuse without consent not only caused financial detriment but also harmed her dignity and reputation.

Delhi HC Judge Tejas Karia granted the interim injunction and has restricted websites, companies and unidentified persons from misusing the actor's identity through AI or digital manipulation, including deepfakes, misleading endorsements or morphed images.

“Unauthorised use of a celebrity's likeness or persona could mislead the public, falsely imply endorsements, and dilute their goodwill,” the court said.

The order prohibited the creation, sharing, or dissemination of AI-generated or manipulated content, as well as commercial exploitation of Rai's persona through merchandise, online platforms, or advertisements.

Further, the Court directed Google LLC and various e-commerce platforms to remove flagged URLs within 72 hours of receiving notice. It also ordered the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the Department of Technology to issue blocking directions. In addition, the Court asked Google and the concerned platforms to submit, in a sealed cover, the Basic Subscriber Information of the offenders involved.

The Court observed that Rai, as one of India's most celebrated actors and a trusted ambassador for global brands, faced serious reputational harm from such misuse.

The matter has been listed for January 15, 2026, and until then, the interim injunction will continue to protect Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's personality rights.

(With inputs from Agencies)

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