In a landmark move for intellectual property and celebrity rights in India, the Madras High Court has intervened to protect the persona of legendary actor and Rajya Sabha MP Kamal Haasan. On January 12, 2026, the court issued an interim injunction restraining a Chennai-based firm and various unidentified entities from the unauthorized commercial exploitation of the actor’s identity.

The Legal Battle Against "Neeye Vidai"

The legal proceedings began when Kamal Haasan approached the court after discovering that a private company in Chennai, Neeye Vidai, was selling merchandise without his consent. The firm had been marketing T-shirts and shirts emblazoned with the actor’s portraits, his name, his initials "KH," and the iconic title "Ulaganayagan" (Universal Hero).

A "John Doe" Order to Tackle Modern Threats

Recognizing the complexities of the digital age, Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy passed a "John Doe" order. This is a powerful legal tool that allows an injunction to apply not just to the named defendant (Neeye Vidai), but also to any unidentified individuals or online platforms engaging in similar infringements.

• Physical Merchandise: T-shirts, apparel, and other commercial goods.

• Digital Manipulation: AI-generated deepfakes and morphed images used for commercial gain.

• Brand Identifiers: The use of his voice, signature, and screen names like "Ulaganayagan."

The court noted that there was a "strong prima facie case" suggesting that the actor’s personality rights were being misappropriated for profit.

Protecting Art While Preserving Satire

While the court was firm on stopping "commercial exploitation," it was equally careful to protect freedom of expression. The Madras High Court clarified that this ban does not apply to:

• Caricatures and Cartoons: Creative artistic depictions of the actor.

• Satire and Parody: Non-commercial works intended for humor or social commentary.

This distinction is crucial, as it ensures that while businesses cannot "pass off" products as official merchandise, fans and artists can still engage with the actor’s persona in creative, non-commercial ways.

Public Notification and Precedent

Given that many infringers operate anonymously online, the court directed Kamal Haasan to publish public notices in both English and Tamil newspapers. This step ensures that the legal boundary is clearly communicated to the general public and potential infringers across the country.