Delhi High Court Grants Interim Relief to Aishwarya Rai Bachchan Over Unauthorized Use of Name and Image

Court Orders Removal of AI-Generated Content and Fake Merchandise Using Actress’s Name and Image

Delhi High Court Grants Interim Relief to Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

Bollywood icon Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has secured interim relief from the Delhi High Court against the unauthorized use of her name, image, photographs, and persona across digital platforms and commercial products. The case specifically highlights misuse involving artificial intelligence (AI) technologies.

Court Orders Take-Down of URLs and Blocking of Unauthorized Content

Justice Tejas Karia directed defendant platforms, including major e-commerce websites and Google LLC, to remove and block URLs identified in the petition.
Google must comply within 72 hours of notice by taking down the offending URLs.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and Department of Telecommunications have been ordered to issue directives to disable these URLs.
Further court proceedings are scheduled for January 15, 2026.

Court Observations on Misuse of Celebrity Persona

The court noted the unauthorized use of a famous personality’s identity causes commercial damage and impacts their right to live with dignity.
An interim injunction was granted as Aishwarya established a prima facie case and the balance of convenience favored her.
Using Aishwarya’s name, image, likeness, and signature without consent was deemed an infringement likely to cause confusion and a false perception of endorsement.
Misuse through AI and other technological tools was recognized as causing financial harm and damaging her dignity, reputation, and goodwill.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s Industry Standing Recognized

The court highlighted Aishwarya’s status as one of the most celebrated Indian entertainment figures.
She has represented several major brands, earning significant goodwill and public trust.
This makes the unauthorized use of her persona even more damaging to her professional reputation.

Lawyer Highlights Rampant Exploitation and Fake Merchandise

Senior Advocate Sandeep Sethi, representing Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, informed the court about:

Widespread exploitation of the actress’s identity for commercial and inappropriate purposes.
Numerous fake websites falsely presenting as her official platforms, misleading the public.
Unauthorized merchandise such as mugs, T-shirts, and drinkware bearing her name and image.
AI-generated images and morphed photos circulated without consent.
Financial gains being made by defendants from the unauthorized use of her likeness.

This landmark order underscores the growing legal challenges around celebrity personality rights, especially concerning digital misuse and AI-generated content. It sets an important precedent for protecting public figures against unauthorized commercial exploitation in the digital age.