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Technology

Tabu moves Delhi High Court over personality rights: Who else has sought protection and why?

hellohimachalse@gmail.com 05 Aug 2026 2 hours ago

New Delhi: Bollywood actress Tabu has approached the Delhi High Court seeking protection of her personality and publicity rights. The case raises fresh concerns over the unauthorised use of celebrity names, faces, voices and images through artificial intelligence tools, fake videos and misleading online content.

Justice Jyoti Singh heard the matter on Tuesday, August 4. The court asked Senior Advocate Swathi Sukumar, who appeared for Tabu, to file a fresh memo of parties after finding incorrect details linked to some defendants. The case is scheduled to be heard again on August 6.

Why has Tabu approached the Delhi High Court?

Tabu has sought legal protection against the alleged unauthorised use of her identity, including her name, photograph, likeness and other personal features.

Reports say the petition covers possible misuse through AI-generated material and digital impersonation. Such content can make it appear that a public figure said something, supported a product or appeared in a video even when no such event took place.

The court has not yet passed a final protection order in Tabu’s case. The next hearing is expected to examine the corrected list of defendants and the relief requested by the actress.

What are personality rights?

Personality rights allow an individual to control the commercial use of identifiable features linked to them. These may include:

  • Name and stage name
  • Face, photograph and physical appearance
  • Voice and speaking style
  • Signature or popular expressions
  • AI-generated copies and deepfake videos

India does not have one separate law covering every part of personality rights. Courts have developed protections through privacy, dignity, trademark and unfair commercial-use principles.

Which other public figures have approached the court?

The Delhi High Court has recently handled similar cases involving actors, cricketers, politicians, creators and business figures.

The names include Yuvraj Singh, Abhishek Sharma, Shashi Tharoor, Pawan Kalyan, Aman Gupta, Allu Arjun, Mohanlal, Jubin Nautiyal, Sunil Gavaskar, Kajol, R Madhavan, NTR Junior, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan and Karan Johar.

The court has also granted protection in matters involving podcaster Raj Shamani, journalist Sudhir Chaudhary and preacher Aniruddhacharya. Several cases have involved fake endorsements, obscene deepfakes, misleading advertisements and merchandise sold without consent.

Why AI has made these cases more urgent

Modern AI tools can copy a face or voice from a small amount of online material. The resulting clips can look convincing on a mobile screen and spread quickly before platforms or courts can act. A fake video can damage public trust, create false political or financial endorsements and confuse viewers who may struggle to identify altered content.

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