In a strong move to safeguard the dignity of veteran Telugu actor Akkineni Nagarjuna, the Delhi High Court on Thursday (25 September) restrained several websites from misusing his name and image in pornographic material. The order came after the actor approached the court alleging rampant exploitation of his persona without consent.
Background
Nagarjuna, a celebrated figure in Indian cinema with over 95 films to his credit, argued that certain pornographic websites were using his name to attract viewers. His counsel, Mr. Pravin Anand, submitted that the actor enjoys immense goodwill built over four decades and that such misuse “dilutes his reputation, confuses the public and causes irreparable harm.”
The petition also pointed to online sellers offering T-shirts and merchandise with his name and photos, again without permission. The court was informed that despite sending legal notices to the domain operators, there was no response, prompting him to seek urgent judicial relief.
Court’s Observations
Justice Tejas Karia noted that misuse of a celebrity’s identity, particularly in “derogatory and inappropriate contexts,” not only damages their economic interests but also threatens their right to live with dignity.
The bench observed, “It is prima facie clear that the attributes of the plaintiff’s persona, including his name and images, are being misused… depiction of the plaintiff in misleading and inappropriate settings will inevitably dilute the goodwill and reputation associated with him.”
The court drew parallels with earlier rulings protecting Amitabh Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan from similar misuse of personality rights, including AI-generated content.
Decision
Issuing an interim injunction, the High Court barred defendants-including porn websites, domain registrars, and merchandise sellers-from exploiting Nagarjuna’s name, image, or likeness in any form.
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Within 72 hours, websites have been directed to remove the infringing content. Merchandisers must also disable products carrying his name and share details of those responsible. Authorities such as the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Department of Telecommunications were ordered to block the flagged URLs within seven days.
The matter will be taken up again on January 23, 2026. Until then, the protective order remains in force.
Case: Akkineni Nagarjuna v. www.bfxxx.org & Ors.
Date of Order: 25 September 2025
