The Delhi High Court on Thursday took note of a lawsuit filed by actor and entrepreneur Vivek Oberoi seeking protection of his personality rights, including his name, image, and voice, against their alleged misuse on social media and digital platforms through AI-generated and morphed content. Justice Tushar Rao Gedela stated, “We will pass the order.”
In his suit, Oberoi alleged that multiple individuals and entities were creating fake Instagram accounts in his name and using artificial intelligence to generate “deepfake” videos and morphed images. These videos, he said, falsely depicted him in inappropriate scenarios, including suggestive settings with other celebrities, and attempted to damage his family life and public image.
“These videos are vulgar and sexually explicit in nature… Such distasteful videos are bound to mislead the public into thinking that what is depicted… is in fact true,” the plea stated.
Oberoi said such impersonation and distortion had led to incalculable harm to his reputation and commercial value.
The lawsuit also pointed out that unauthorised merchandise—such as posters, T-shirts, and postcards bearing his name and image—was being sold on various e-commerce platforms without his consent. The actor claimed these actions amounted to misappropriation of his personality for commercial gain.
He emphasised that, aside from his film career, he had developed an independent business identity with commercial interests in India and Dubai, and had built a significant brand value. “No one is entitled to misappropriate or imitate any facet of his personality, including his name, signature, voice or image, for commercial purposes without his consent,” the plea argued.
Oberoi urged the court to issue directions restraining the identified and unknown entities from violating his personality and publicity rights, and to block or take down such infringing content across social media and online platforms.
Several other public figures, including actors Abhishek Bachchan and Salman Khan, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, and journalist Sudhir Chaudhary, have recently approached the Delhi High Court seeking similar protections against misuse of their identity through AI and deepfake technology. In many of these cases, the court has granted interim relief.
Justice Gedela is expected to pass a detailed order on Oberoi’s application soon.
