**Bombay High Court Grants Interim Relief to Akshay Kumar Against Unauthorized AI-Generated Content**
The Bombay High Court has granted interim relief in favor of actor Akshay Kumar, protecting him from the unauthorized use of his likeness, image, and voice through AI-generated content and deepfakes. This order marks a significant development in the ongoing discussion around celebrity personality rights and the ethical use of artificial intelligence in the media.
**Legal Protection from Unauthorized AI Usage**
Justice Arif Doctor observed that the misuse of a public figure’s image “not only hurts his stature but has huge consequences,” highlighting the urgent need to combat impersonation and misinformation driven by emerging technologies.
The interim relief follows a civil suit filed by Akshay Kumar, legally known as Akshay Hari Om Bhatia, aimed at preventing individuals and online platforms from exploiting his persona without consent.
Representing Kumar, Senior Advocate Birendra Saraf emphasized that the issue goes beyond personal harm, impacting public trust at large. “These acts cause grave harm to the plaintiff’s goodwill and reputation, dilute his personality and publicity rights, mislead the public, and amount to unfair competition and unjust enrichment,” Saraf argued, urging the court to safeguard digital identity rights.
**Instances of Deepfake Misuse**
The petition detailed multiple examples of deepfake misuse including a fabricated movie trailer depicting Akshay Kumar as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and a manipulated clip falsely showing him making remarks about Rishi Valmiki. These instances resulted in public backlash and compelled the actor to issue clarifications.
In one notable case, a platform named Akshaykumar.ai allegedly allowed users to generate synthetic audio mimicking Kumar’s voice and style. Saraf also raised concerns over counterfeit merchandise, cloned social media accounts, and fake endorsements spreading under Kumar’s name on platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and Facebook, as well as listings on the dark web.
**Court’s Order and Wider Implications**
The plea sought a John Doe injunction against both known and unknown entities, requesting intermediaries, e-commerce platforms, and domain registrars to identify the perpetrators and remove infringing content promptly.
This interim order aligns with a growing trend among Indian celebrities seeking protection from AI impersonations. The Bombay High Court has previously extended similar relief to notable personalities such as Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Suniel Shetty, Karan Johar, Rishab Shetty, and Asha Bhosle, who have faced deepfake misuse of their voice and image.
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*Also Read:*
[Akshay Kumar moves Bombay High Court to protect his personality rights amid AI deepfake threat]
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