The Delhi High Court on Friday indicated that it would issue an interim direction to safeguard the personality rights of Bollywood actor Sonakshi Sinha. The matter was heard by Justice Jyoti Singh, who was considering an application filed by the actor seeking an injunction against alleged misuse of her identity.
During the proceedings, the court asked for specific instances of infringement. In response, the counsel representing Sinha pointed to the unauthorised use of her persona and characteristics by certain AI chatbots. Taking note of the submission, the court directed the legal team to provide a soft copy of the alleged infringing links. It also permitted the filing of additional documents in a sealed cover within two days. The case has now been scheduled for further hearing on July 6.
This development follows a recent order by the same court granting protection to the personality rights of Ramdev, founder of Patanjali Ayurved, through a John Doe directive. Over time, coordinate benches of the High Court have passed similar rulings in favour of several public figures across fields.
Among those who have received such legal protection are singer Jubin Nautiyal, Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, former cricketer Sunil Gavaskar, and actors Kajol, R. Madhavan and N. T. Rama Rao Jr. Actor Salman Khan has also approached the court with a similar plea.
The High Court has, in separate cases, extended protection to spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar of The Art of Living Foundation, Telugu actor Nagarjuna, as well as Bollywood actors Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan and filmmaker Karan Johar.
In another recent instance, journalist Sudhir Chaudhary was granted relief after raising concerns over misleading AI-generated videos circulating online. Similarly, a John Doe order was issued in favour of podcaster Raj Shamani, with the court recognising his prominence in the digital content space.
Sonakshi Sinha, who made her Bollywood debut with Dabangg opposite Salman Khan, has since featured in several commercial and content-driven films including Rowdy Rathore, Mission Mangal with her recent success being in the web-series Heeramandi in which she essayed a double role. Known for balancing mainstream entertainers with performance-oriented roles, the actor has built a steady presence in the industry, making the protection of her identity and likeness increasingly significant in the evolving digital landscape.
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