Veteran actress Jaya Bachchan has been granted significant interim protection by the Delhi High Court. This crucial order safeguards her personality rights, preventing the unauthorized use of her name, images, and likeness across various digital platforms.
The directive comes amidst a growing surge of online exploitation, where celebrity personas are frequently misused for commercial gain. The court’s decision aims to curb such practices on social media and other online channels.
Jaya Bachchan’s Plea Heard by Delhi High Court
The Delhi High Court, with a bench led by Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, recently heard Bachchan’s comprehensive plea. The petition meticulously detailed how numerous social media accounts, YouTube channels, and websites were exploiting her persona.
Senior Advocate Sandeep Sethi, representing Ms. Bachchan, presented compelling evidence to the Court. He highlighted the extensive misuse of her identity for various commercial purposes.
Unmasking the Online Exploitation
Sethi outlined a disturbing range of abuses, including AI-generated videos and sexually explicit content. He also pointed to morphed images and unauthorized merchandise being circulated without her consent.
The plea underscored the challenge of identifying and prosecuting the perpetrators. Sethi informed the court, “We don’t even know the name of the party who is selling it.”
The alleged infringements included:
- Publication of morphed images by the first defendant.
- Selling merchandise using her picture by the second defendant.
- Infringing product sales by defendants four and five.
- Uploading of defamatory content by a YouTube channel (defendant seven).
Court’s Directives and Clarifications
During the hearing, Justice Arora made an important clarification regarding movie posters. He noted that the use of Bachchan’s images on such posters could not be immediately restricted.
This is because the copyright for movie posters typically belongs to the film’s owner, not the actor. The judge stated, “Copyright vests in whoever is the owner of the movie… You don’t even have any copyright.”
Directing Action Against Infringing Websites
A significant outcome of the hearing was the Court’s order for blocking actions against infringing websites. These platforms were found to be misusing Bachchan’s persona for commercial gains.
Justice Arora directed that the specific websites and their respective domain name registrars (DNRs) be made parties to the case. This move ensures a more comprehensive and effective legal recourse against online exploiters.
The Court also granted Bachchan the liberty to file an amended plaint within two days. This was to correct minor clerical and typographical errors in the original submission. The matter is now slated for further hearing on April 16.
A Growing Trend: Protecting Celebrity Personas
Jaya Bachchan’s case is part of a larger judicial trend in India. Courts are increasingly stepping in to safeguard the personality and publicity rights of celebrities in the digital age.
This evolving legal framework reflects the growing need to protect public figures from unauthorized commercial exploitation and digital manipulation.
Other Celebrities Who Received Protection
The Delhi High Court has previously extended similar interim protection to several other prominent personalities. These include actors like Jackie Shroff, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, and Hrithik Roshan.
Telugu superstar Akkineni Nagarjuna and renowned filmmaker Karan Johar have also successfully secured similar relief, reinforcing the legal precedent for protecting celebrity rights.
Conclusion: A Landmark Step for Digital Rights
The interim protection granted to Jaya Bachchan is a significant development in the ongoing battle against online misuse of celebrity identities. It sends a clear message to those who exploit personal brands for commercial gain without consent.
This ruling reinforces the judiciary’s commitment to upholding individual rights in the digital realm. It serves as a crucial reminder that even in the vastness of the internet, personality and publicity rights remain legally protected.