Vivek Oberoi has joined the growing list of celebrities taking legal steps to protect their personality rights. The actor and entrepreneur has filed a suit in the Delhi High Court seeking to prevent unauthorised use of his identity. Vivek’s plea has put the spotlight back on a growing trend as he joins an A-list club, including Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, R Madhavan, Anil Kapoor and Karan Johar among others.
But what exactly are these rights, and why has it suddenly become the most sought-after thing in B-Town?
In the past, a star’s biggest worry was a bad review or a box-office flop. Today, their biggest threat is a digital ghost of themselves roaming the internet, selling things they don’t like and saying things they never said.
For stars, their identity is tied to their career and brand value. When fake content or impersonations spread online, it can create confusion, distort reputation, and even affect lives and mental peace.
Daler Mehndi was the first celebrity to seek protection right
The battle for celebrity personality rights in India actually started with a turban and a doll. Back in 2002, Punjabi pop sensation Daler Mehndi became the first Indian celebrity to successfully fight for these rights.
A company was selling miniature dolls that not only looked like him, complete with his robes and colorful turbans, but also sang snippets of his hits. The Delhi High Court ruled in his favour, establishing a landmark precedent: a celebrity’s persona has commercial value, and you can’t just “merchandise” a human being without their consent.
What exactly are ‘Personality Rights’?
Think of personality rights as a digital “No Trespassing” sign. In easy terms, it is the right of a famous person to control how their name, image, voice, and other unique characteristics (like a signature catchphrase or a specific walk) are used by others.
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It’s based on the idea that a celebrity has spent years building their reputation. Therefore, if anyone is going to make money off that reputation, whether by putting their face on a t-shirt or using an AI version of their voice to sell insurance, it should be the celebrity themselves, or by their permission.
In India, there isn’t a single law that spells this out, the way copyright does for music or films. Instead, courts have gradually developed protections through legal principles, including intellectual property and constitutional rights, to step in when someone’s identity is exploited.
Why the sudden rush?
You might wonder why this sudden rush among celebs, the answer lies in social media misuse and AI.
Social media misuse
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Fake accounts, fabricated endorsements and unauthorised merchandise have made it easy for anyone online to impersonate a celebrity’s image and make money off of it. Fans might think they’re using it for fun, but when one’s face or voice is plastered on merchandise or ads with no approval, that’s commercial use, and potentially damaging to reputation.
AI and deepfakes
We are living in the era of the deepfake. Gone are the days when a fan just made a harmless collage. Today, AI can mimic voices (Imagine a fake video of an actor endorsing a controversial political party or a shady betting app), and morph images (Deepfake technology can superimpose a star’s face onto distasteful or explicit content).
Several actors, including Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, have specifically raised alarm over AI‑generated pornographic content and deepfakes circulating online using their likeness, which can mislead fans and harm reputation in profoundly unsettling ways.
For stars like Anil Kapoor, the final straw was the unauthorised use of his “jhakaas” catchphrase, for Amitabh Bachchan, it was about protecting that legendary voice from being used by local businesses to lure customers.
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What happens once the court says ‘yes’?
When a celebrity wins an “Omnibus Injunction” (term for a broad protection order), here is what it changes for them:
The digital mop-up: They can force social media platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and X (Twitter) to take down fake accounts and morphed videos immediately.
No ‘unpaid’ brand ambassadors: No local shop or big corporation can use their photo to sell products. If a bakery uses a picture of Aishwarya Rai to sell cakes without a contract, they can be sued for heavy damages.
Voice protection: AI companies cannot “train” their models using a protected celebrity’s voice.
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Restraining ‘John Doe’: Since many internet trolls are anonymous, the court order applies to everyone, even if the actor doesn’t know the person’s name yet.
What does it mean for people making videos of celebs?
If you’re a fan making a tribute video or a comedian doing a harmless parody, are you in trouble? Generally, personality rights are aimed at commercial exploitation and misuse. Most court orders highlights that “fair use”, like news reporting, education, or genuine satire, is usually okay. However, the line is getting increasingly blurred. If your “parody” is actually an ad for a product, you’re officially in the danger zone.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source indianexpress.com ’
