Delhi HC to Protect Mohanlal's Personality Rights from Misuse

Justice Jyoti Singh, while hearing the matter, allowed the actor's application to implead additional defendants in the suit. The Court had earlier permitted Mohanlal to withdraw his interim plea with liberty to file a fresh application containing clearer and more specific particulars.

During the hearing, the Court also directed the actor to provide a note of the alleged infringing links to the defendants.

The case reflects a broader trend before the Delhi High Court, where several public figures including actors, sportspersons, journalists, and spiritual leaders, have approached the Court seeking protection of their personality rights against unauthorised use.

Mohanlal is among the latest Indian celebrities to move the Court for such relief, joining a growing list of public figures seeking safeguards against misuse of their identity. Courts have increasingly been called upon to address concerns relating to the unauthorised commercial exploitation of a person's name, image, voice, and likeness.

This trend has intensified with the rise of artificial intelligence and deepfake technology, which has made it easier to create misleading or manipulated content. In response, courts have been granting interim injunctions to restrain such misuse, particularly in the context of advertisements, digital platforms, and online content.

Legal observers note that while personality rights are not codified under a single statute in India, they are steadily evolving through judicial precedents, especially in cases involving digital and technological misuse.

- ANI