In a courtroom packed with lawyers, journalists, and curious onlookers, the Bombay High Court on Wednesday heard actor Akshay Kumar's plea seeking urgent protection against what his counsel called digital impersonation on steroids. The actor alleged that his image, name, and voice were being grossly misused through AI-generated deepfake videos, fake blogs, and cloned voice content, causing immense reputational harm.
Justice Arif Doctor, after an extensive hearing that lasted nearly two hours, reserved the order for judgment. The courtroom remained attentive as Senior Advocate Dr. Birendra Saraf, appearing for Kumar, laid out example after example of how technology was being weaponized against public figures.
"This isn’t a casual meme culture anymore," Saraf argued, his voice echoing slightly in the silent courtroom. "We are looking at full-scale impersonation that can mislead millions before the truth even catches up."
He pointed out one manipulated video where Kumar was falsely shown as portraying Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in a so-called upcoming film. "The clip crossed twenty lakh views before it was flagged," Saraf said, pausing briefly as murmurs spread through the courtroom.
Another fake video allegedly showed the actor making remarks about Saint Valmiki, sparking protests in parts of the country.
"It wasn't him. It was a deepfake - his face, voice, even lip movements digitally synced," the senior advocate said, shaking his head.
Kumar’s petition listed several websites and AI tools that clone his voice and image. One, Saraf revealed, even offers an "AI Akshay Kumar Voice Generator."
"Type a line, and it speaks in his tone. Imagine the chaos if such a voice endorsed a political statement or product," he warned.
The actor is seeking an injunction against both known and unknown individuals, as well as directions to intermediaries and registrars to identify those circulating such content. Importantly, Saraf clarified that Kumar wasn't asking for blanket bans.
"We're not seeking to block entire platforms only those links that infringe upon his personality rights," he said.
Justice Doctor listened patiently, occasionally asking technical questions about tracing origin servers and intermediary responsibility.
Before rising, the judge remarked, "This is not just a matter of privacy it's a matter of public deception."
With that, the matter was reserved for orders. The final decision, once delivered, could mark a turning point in how Indian law confronts deepfakes and AI-based impersonation a challenge that’s growing faster than most people realize.
