 "Decoding the Ashwarya Rai Bachchan & Delhi High Court case: What are personality rights?")
On Tuesday, the Delhi High Court stated that it will issue injunction orders to protect Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s personality rights after the actress complained that her images had been morphed and misused on the internet.
Aishwarya Rai ’s lawyer and representative, Senior Advocate Sandeep Sethi, told the court that the actress’s likeness has been digitally exploited without her consent, thereby infringing her personality rights.
“I am enforcing my publicity and personality rights,” said Sethi, adding that Aishwarya’s face is being used on coffee mugs, merchandise and even fake pornographic images.
“There can be no right in their favour to use her images, likeness or persona. A gentleman is collecting money merely by putting my name and face," he argued, adding, “Her name and likeness is being used to satisfy someone’s sexual desires. This is very unfortunate," said Sethi by submitting screenshots of fabricated chats, morphed pornographic material.
What did the court say?
“There are only 151 URLs which will form part of the order as far as you are concerned… We will pass orders against each of the defendants because prayers are broad. But we will grant injunctions separately," said Justice Tejas Karia.
The next hearing of the case is on January 15, 2026.
What are personality rights?
Personality rights refer to the right to protect one’s name, photograph or even voice from being used for commercial purposes without the celebrity’s consent, which also includes his or her name, a pose, or a mannerism.
Tushar Agarwal, a Supreme Court advocate, explained to Moneycontrol, “In the simplest sense, personality rights are the rights of famous personalities and celebrities whose name, voice, signature or any other personality trait has commercial value and can mobilise and influence the public at large.”
Before Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, celebs like Amitabh Bachchan, Jackie Shroff and Anil Kapoor took the legal route to protect their personality rights.