Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan has joined the growing list of stars fighting to protect their identity in the digital age. Days after his wife Aishwarya Rai Bachchan filed a petition for the same cause, the actor has now approached the Delhi High Court, asking for legal safeguards over his personality rights.
The 49-year-old star, known for films like ‘Dasvi’, is seeking a court order to stop websites and digital platforms from misusing his name, face, or overall persona.
His concern is that manipulated videos and artificial intelligence-generated images are circulating online without his permission, some of them even carrying sexually explicit content.
On Wednesday, Abhishek’s legal team presented the petition in court. Senior advocate Pravin Anand, along with Ameet Naik, Madhu Gadodia, and Dhruv Anand, appeared on his behalf.
According to their arguments, certain websites have been creating fake content and using his image inappropriately, which not only harms his reputation but also opens the door to online scams.
One of the main targets of his petition is a website, ‘Bollywood Tee Shop’. The site has been selling T-shirts featuring pictures of Bollywood celebrities, including Abhishek, without any approval from the stars themselves.
The actor has demanded that the website be shut down and that all links using his identity on platforms like Google and YouTube be taken down.
Also Read: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan moves Delhi HC to stop misuse of her name and image
Speaking about the case, Ameet Nayak, a partner at the law firm representing Abhishek, said this was a much-needed step in the current digital climate.
“The law on personality rights has evolved over time thanks to our judiciary giving recognition,” he noted. “We were the first to get such orders for Mr. Amitabh Bachchan, followed by Mr. Anil Kapoor, Mr. Jackie Shroff, and recently for Aishwarya Rai. Abhishek Bachchan’s petition continues this important fight. Such orders are absolutely necessary today to stop the misuse of celebrity attributes, especially with the rise of AI and digital manipulation.”
This move comes close on the heels of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s own petition, filed on September 9. The actress had similarly sought protection of her personality rights. She pointed out that her name and photographs were online and on commercial products without permission.