In a key legal milestone, the Delhi High Court has extended protection to actor Nagarjuna Akkineni over his personality and publicity rights, representing a turning point in the unfolding scene of celebrity rights in India. This ruling joins other judgments in favor of high-profile public figures like Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Karan Johar, all affirming the judiciary’s increasing awareness of the necessity of protecting the public personae of individuals from unauthorized use.
The Court Battle: Safeguarding Individual Identity in the Digital Era
September 25, 2025, Justice Tejas Karia heard a case regarding Nagarjuna’s appeal against the unauthorized use of his name, face, voice, and other unique characteristics. The legal team of the actor, represented by senior advocate Pravin Anand, produced proof of several occasions where Nagarjuna’s identity was being misused:
Unauthorized Products: Items featuring his image were being sold without permission.
Pornographic Content: His picture was being manipulated and taken out of place.
AI-Generated Videos: Deepfake technology was utilized to produce deceptive content with his face.
The court recognized the seriousness of these violations, with Justice Karia stating, “When you can identify the URLs, the best is to direct them to take down.” As a result, the court directed the takedown of 14 specific URLs that were discovered to be abusing his persona
Business Standard
A Precedent in Celebrity Rights Protection
This decision is a part of the larger trend wherein Indian courts are increasingly enforcing the personality and publicity rights of public personalities. Significantly, in May 2024, the Delhi High Court also extended such protection to actor Jackie Shroff, dealing with aspects of unauthorised merchandise and twisted videos.
These choices are an indication of the judiciary’s recognition of the dilemma presented by digital platforms in protecting individual rights.
The Importance of Personality Rights
Personality rights include the right of an individual over the commercial exploitation of his or her identity, name, image, voice, and likeness. These rights are fundamental to an individual’s protection against unauthorized exploitation that may result in reputational damage or financial loss. Though there is no particular law regarding personality rights in India, Indian courts have used principles of privacy, defamation, and right to life and personal liberty as laid down under Article 21 of the Constitution to extend such protection
Deccan Chronicle.
Implications for the Entertainment Industry
The Delhi High Court ruling acts as a strong warning to online platforms, content producers, and business houses regarding legal consequences of illegal appropriation of celebrity identities. It reinforces the requirement of taking express permission prior to the use of a person’s persona for business purposes. The ruling is likely to have a cascade effect, with other celebrities resorting to court action to safeguard their personal brands.
Looking Ahead
As the online environment continues to change, the safeguarding of personality rights will continue to be a relevant issue. The judiciary’s active intervention in providing relief to those whose identities are being misused is an important precursor to similar cases going forward. It also sends a message to online platforms that they need to have controls in place to stop the misuse of personal information and images.
In sum, Delhi High Court’s grant of protection of personality rights to Nagarjuna Akkineni is a milestone judgment that reiterates the significance of protecting individual identities in the age of the internet. It serves to underscore the judiciary’s function of applying legal principles to meet the challenges of modern times so that personal dignity and reputation are preserved in a world that has become ever more interconnected.
