The Bombay High Court on Friday heard Bollywood actor Suniel Shetty's urgent plea seeking protection of his personality rights. Shetty, who has been a familiar face in Indian cinema for decades, approached the court after discovering that several websites and social media platforms were using his images and even deepfakes for profit-making activities.
Background
Senior Advocate Birendra Saraf, appearing for Shetty, painted a disturbing picture of how the actor’s likeness is being misused across digital spaces.
"Please see, there is a real estate agency, an astrology website, even gambling portals all of them are using his photographs without any permission," Saraf submitted before the bench.
The court was also told that Shetty's name and face were being used to sell merchandise and posters. Even more alarming, according to the petition, was the appearance of fake AI-generated content showing him with his grandchild.
"There is a photograph of him with a grandchild which is a deepfake. It’s not a real photograph," Saraf added.
Court's Observations
Justice Arif S. Doctor, who was hearing the matter, appeared concerned about the unchecked spread of manipulated content. At one point, he remarked on the growing menace of AI-driven misrepresentation.
"This AI and social media… if not regulated, it's scary what people can do with it," the judge observed.
The actor's counsel also noted that platforms like Meta, instead of removing objectionable material, had in some cases merely tagged it as 'deepfake.' That, Saraf argued, did little to stop further circulation or prevent harm. He also highlighted that fake agents were falsely claiming to represent Shetty for endorsements, and multiple unauthorised social media accounts were operating in his name.
The petition has sought not just the removal of such content but also a preventive 'John Doe order' against unknown persons, to restrain future misuse of the actor’s persona.
Decision
After hearing the submissions, Justice Doctor reserved the order on Shetty's interim application, which seeks immediate takedown of the infringing content.
The final directions are expected to clarify how far courts can go in protecting celebrity rights in the age of deepfakes.
