In a significant move that signals a growing trend in celebrity brand management, Bollywood superstar Hrithik Roshan has approached the Delhi High Court seeking an injunction to protect his personality rights. This legal action is aimed at safeguarding the unauthorized and commercial misuse of his name, image, voice, and likeness in the digital landscape. Roshan joins a rapidly expanding list of A-list celebrities, including Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Amitabh Bachchan, and Anil Kapoor, who are turning to the courts to assert strict control over their public and digital personas.

What Exactly Are Personality Rights?

Often used interchangeably with publicity rights, personality rights essentially grant a famous individual the exclusive control over the commercial use of their unique identity. This isn't just about a copyrighted photograph; it encompasses their name, voice, distinctive style, signature catchphrases, and likeness—the very attributes that form their public brand.

In India, where there is no single dedicated statute for these rights, courts generally protect them through two core legal principles:

1. The Right to Privacy and Dignity (under Article 21 of the Constitution).

2. The Common Law of 'Passing Off,' which prevents unauthorized parties from misleading the public into believing the celebrity endorses their product or service.

The courts recognize that a celebrity’s persona is a valuable commercial asset, built through years of hard work, and that the celebrity alone has the right to profit from it.

The Digital Threat: Why the Urgency Now?

The surge in these legal battles is a direct response to the rapid proliferation of AI and deepfake technology. The digital world has made it alarmingly easy for anonymous entities to clone a celebrity's voice, create highly convincing deepfake videos, and plaster their image on misleading advertisements or merchandise without consent.

For instance, Hrithik Roshan's suit is designed to prevent not just simple photo misuse but the more insidious forms of exploitation that can severely damage reputation and dilute goodwill. These are often referred to as "John Doe" orders, which allow the court to take action against unknown, future infringers that emerge in the vast, unregulated corners of the internet. Other celebrities have cited concerns ranging from fake fan merchandise and unauthorized biographies to the circulation of AI-generated explicit or defamatory content.

The New Trend: Stars Taking Back Control

Hrithik Roshan’s decision is not an isolated incident; it solidifies the fact that asserting brand sovereignty has become a non-negotiable step for top-tier Indian celebrities. The list of stars seeking protection is a who's who of Bollywood:

• Amitabh Bachchan secured sweeping relief against the misuse of his name, voice, and image.

• Anil Kapoor even successfully protected his iconic catchphrase, “Jhakaas.”

• Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan both moved the court to curb the use of deepfakes and unauthorized endorsements.

• Veteran singer Kumar Sanu has also filed a plea to protect his distinctive voice and singing style.

These actions clearly demonstrate that celebrities are moving from a reactive stance to a proactive legal defense. It marks a pivotal moment where Bollywood is using the judicial system to draw a clear line in the sand: fame grants visibility, but it does not grant the public, or opportunistic commercial entities, the right to unauthorized ownership or control of a star's identity. This legal movement ensures that in the age of algorithms, the individual remains the sole custodian of their persona.
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