**Bombay High Court Grants Interim Relief to Akshay Kumar Against Unauthorized AI-Generated Deepfake Content**
The Bombay High Court has granted interim relief in favor of Bollywood 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 milestone in the ongoing discourse surrounding celebrity personality rights and the ethical use of artificial intelligence in media.
**Legal Protection Against AI Misuse**
Justice Arif Doctor observed that the misuse of a public figure’s image “not only hurts his stature but has huge consequences,” underscoring the urgent need to address impersonation and misinformation fueled by emerging technologies.
The order follows a civil suit filed by the actor—legally known as Akshay Hari Om Bhatia—aimed at preventing individuals and online platforms from exploiting his persona without consent.
**Arguments Highlighting Broader Implications**
Representing Kumar, Senior Advocate Birendra Saraf emphasized that the issue extends beyond personal injury, affecting public trust at large. He stated,
> “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 urged the court to take significant steps to protect digital identity rights in the age of AI-generated manipulations.
**Instances of Deepfake Misuse**
The petition detailed several instances where deepfake technology was misused, including:
– A fabricated movie trailer depicting Akshay Kumar as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
– A fake clip showing the actor making controversial remarks about Rishi Valmiki, which sparked public backlash and compelled Kumar to issue clarifications.
– A platform named Akshaykumar.ai allegedly allowed users to generate synthetic audio mimicking his voice and style.
Additionally, Saraf raised concerns about counterfeit merchandise, cloned social media accounts, and false endorsements circulating under Kumar’s name across platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and even dark web listings.
**Legal Measures Sought**
The plea requested a John Doe injunction targeting both known and unknown entities. It also called for intermediaries, e-commerce platforms, and domain registrars to identify offenders and promptly remove infringing content.
**A Growing Trend Among Indian Celebrities**
This interim order aligns with a rising trend of Indian celebrities seeking judicial protection against AI-driven impersonations. The Bombay High Court has previously extended similar relief to personalities like Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Suniel Shetty, Karan Johar, Rishab Shetty, and Asha Bhosle, all of whom have encountered 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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