Delhi High Court Protects Pawan Kalyan's Personality Rights Against Unauthorized Use

The Delhi High Court has ruled to protect the personality rights of actor and Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, prohibiting unauthorized commercial use of his name and images. Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora's decision comes after Kalyan's petition highlighted the misuse of his likeness through AI and deepfake technology by various online platforms. The court emphasized the irreparable harm that continued infringement could cause Kalyan. The next hearing is set for May 12, and other celebrities have also sought similar protections, receiving interim relief from the court.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jan 2, 2026, 17:25 IST

Court Ruling on Personality Rights

The Delhi High Court has taken significant steps to safeguard the personality rights of renowned actor and Andhra Pradesh's Deputy Chief Minister, Pawan Kalyan. The court has prohibited various websites and online platforms from using his name or images for commercial gain without his consent.

Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, who presided over the petition filed by Kalyan, has ordered 14 entities, including unknown individuals and several e-commerce sites, to refrain from utilizing Kalyan's personality traits through artificial intelligence (AI) and deepfake technology until the next hearing.

In its order dated December 22, the court stated, "The balance of convenience is in favor of the petitioner (Kalyan), and the continued availability of infringing content would cause him irreparable harm."

The court acknowledged Kalyan's status as a prominent figure and serving Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, noting that his images, voice, name, and likeness were being exploited by the defendants for commercial purposes without his approval. It highlighted that these entities were employing AI software on their websites to utilize his personality traits without consent.

The next hearing in this matter has been scheduled for May 12. Recently, several other celebrities, including actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, her husband Abhishek Bachchan, actress and MP Jaya Bachchan, Hrithik Roshan, Ajay Devgn, filmmaker Karan Johar, singer Kumar Sanu, Telugu actor Akkineni Nagarjuna, founder of the Art of Living Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, journalist Sudhir Chaudhary, and podcaster Raj Shamani, have also approached the High Court to protect their personality and publicity rights. The court has granted them interim relief.