The Bombay High Court has indicated that it will direct the takedown of online content infringing actor Kartik Aaryan’s personality rights, including the alleged unauthorized commercial use of his name and image across digital platforms. Justice Sharmila Deshmukh has stated that she will pass an order to this effect.
As per media reports, the development has followed submissions by Aaryan’s counsel, Senior Counsel Birendra Saraf, who has flagged content that he has alleged to be scandalous or commercially exploitative, including the use of the actor’s likeness for selling merchandise and digital misuse. During the hearing, Saraf has stated, “I want that order which your Ladyship has considered earlier, that upon my pointing out to them, they will remove it. I don’t want them to do a suo motu enquiry or something. I will keep informing them whatever I come to know and they can remove it. He is a prominent actor, even his name has a trademark. There are images being used to sell merchandise. There is artificial intelligence created videos. Some of these are quite bad and some of them are just affecting his personality. Some of them are scandalous.”
The court has heard that Aaryan has filed a lawsuit naming several Indian and foreign e-commerce and social media platforms, along with unidentified “John Doe” defendants, alleging exploitation of his persona online. The petition has claimed that his name, image, and likeness have been used without consent across merchandise, advertisements, and other digital formats, thereby violating his publicity and privacy rights.
The actor has sought a permanent injunction restraining the defendants from using his photographs, videos, voice, or other personality attributes for commercial purposes, including through artificial intelligence tools and deepfakes. He has also sought directions to online intermediaries and government authorities to remove infringing content and disclose the identities of anonymous entities involved.
