New Delhi, November 10, 2025: The Delhi High Court has taken a firm stand to protect the personality and publicity rights of veteran Bollywood actor and parliamentarian Jaya Bachchan, restraining entities from using her name, image, or voice for commercial purposes without her consent. The ruling comes amid growing concerns about the exploitation of celebrity images and personas, including for merchandise sales, AI-generated content, and sexually explicit material.

A bench headed by Justice Manmeet PS Arora, while hearing the case, clarified that it would not immediately restrict the use of Jaya Bachchan’s images on movie posters, observing that copyright in such posters belongs to the owners of the films, not the actors depicted.

“How do you claim copyright in the movie posters? Copyright vests in whoever is the owner of the movie… not even hurting you. You don’t even have any copyright… Let them be here. I’m not persuaded. This is a poster. That party can remain. We’ll hear him out and see. I’m not convinced,” Justice Arora remarked during the proceedings.

The Basis of the Suit

The legal action was filed to safeguard Jaya Bachchan’s publicity rights, alleging that various commercial entities were exploiting her persona without authorization. Her legal counsel, Sandeep Sethi, contended that apart from selling merchandise using her likeness, some parties were also creating AI-generated videos and sexually explicit content, further compromising her privacy and personal image.

This case falls under the broader legal framework protecting celebrity personality rights, which aim to prevent unauthorized commercial exploitation of an individual’s name, image, or voice. The court’s intervention underscores the importance of consent and safeguards against digital misuse, particularly in an era of rapidly advancing AI and media technologies.

Precedents in Protecting Celebrity Rights

The Delhi High Court has increasingly acted to protect celebrity rights in recent years. Earlier this year, it safeguarded the personality and publicity rights of actors including Jackie Shroff, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Akkineni Nagarjuna, Hrithik Roshan, and filmmaker Karan Johar.

Other notable cases include:

• Actor Anil Kapoor (2023): The court restrained the misuse of Kapoor’s name, image, voice, and his iconic catchphrase “jhakaas” in unauthorized commercial contexts.
• Amitabh Bachchan (2022): The court protected the legendary actor’s personality and publicity rights against infringement, reinforcing the principle that celebrity images cannot be commercially exploited without consent.

These rulings collectively demonstrate the judiciary’s increasing awareness of the digital era’s challenges, where celebrity images can be widely replicated and misused across social media, AI-generated media, and merchandising.

Legal and Cultural Significance

The court’s decision highlights a key distinction in copyright and personality rights law: while copyright in creative works such as movie posters or films rests with the producer or studio, an individual’s right to control commercial use of their persona remains independent. This ensures that actors and public figures cannot have their name, image, or voice exploited for profit without their explicit permission.

The protection of these rights is also critical in the context of AI and digital manipulation, where sophisticated software can generate highly realistic images and videos of public figures without their consent. Courts are increasingly being called upon to balance copyright ownership with personal rights, ensuring that emerging technologies do not erode fundamental protections for individuals.

Looking Ahead

While Justice Arora did not immediately restrict the use of Jaya Bachchan’s images on movie posters, the court’s intervention sets a clear precedent: unauthorized commercial exploitation of celebrity persona—whether for merchandise, AI-generated content, or explicit material—is legally actionable. The case will continue to be heard to determine the full scope of remedies and restrictions.

As Bollywood and the wider entertainment industry embrace digital content, these rulings signal that courts will uphold individual rights, ensuring that fame and celebrity do not become tools for exploitation in the absence of consent.

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