New Delhi, 2 January: Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and actor Pawan Kalyan has secured significant relief from the Delhi High Court in a case concerning his personality rights. Justice Manmeet Preetam Singh Arora issued an interim order restraining several websites and platforms from using Pawan Kalyan’s name, image, or voice without his consent.
The court emphasised that due to Pawan Kalyan’s celebrity status, he holds proprietary rights over attributes related to his personality. Any commercial use without permission constitutes a violation of these rights. The order specifically prohibits the exploitation of his personality through technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), deepfake, morphing, or digital editing.
The court found the sale of items bearing Pawan Kalyan’s photographs, such as T-shirts, mugs, and posters, on various e-commerce platforms and websites to be improper. However, it showed leniency towards fan accounts on social media. Fan accounts that clearly display a disclaimer stating they are unofficial will not face action, and their posts will not be removed. Until such disclaimers are added, platforms like Meta have been directed to keep these accounts inactive.
The court has also directed Meta and Google to provide basic subscriber information (BSI) of such users within three weeks. This order was passed following the hearing on 22 December and was uploaded recently. Earlier, the court had instructed social media platforms to act on complaints promptly.
Actor Pawan Kalyan had sought a ban on the commercial use of his name, identity, and voice without permission.
Notably, Amitabh Bachchan has also approached the court to protect his voice. Before Pawan Kalyan, celebrities such as Salman Khan, Ajay Devgn, Aishwarya Rai, Anil Kapoor, Suniel Shetty, and Abhishek Bachchan have relied on legal remedies to safeguard their personality rights.
The next hearing in this matter is scheduled for 12 May. This interim relief provides immediate protection to Pawan Kalyan and sets a precedent for other celebrities.
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MT/
My name is Bhupendra Singh Chundawat. I am an experienced content writer with several years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including technology, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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