New Delhi: Actor Naga Chaitanya has secured interim relief from the Delhi High Court in a personality rights case concerning the alleged unauthorised use of his name, image and digitally manipulated content online. The actor approached the court seeking protection against AI-generated, defamatory and explicit material being circulated on various digital platforms.
The case was heard by Justice Jyoti Singh after Chaitanya’s legal team raised concerns about the misuse of his identity for commercial gain and the spread of objectionable content.
Concerns over AI-generated and defamatory content
Representing the actor, Senior Advocate Vaibhav Gaggar argued that several websites were allegedly using Chaitanya’s name alongside explicit search terms to attract online traffic.
The legal team informed the court that AI-generated videos, deepfakes and voice-cloned content were being circulated online, falsely depicting the actor in inappropriate situations. According to the petition, such content has caused reputational harm and violated his privacy and personality rights.
The suit also highlighted the circulation of defamatory material relating to Chaitanya’s personal life, including allegations concerning his past relationship with actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu.
Court notes limits to public scrutiny
During the hearing, the court observed that while public figures are naturally subject to greater public attention and scrutiny, there are reasonable limits to such exposure.
The judge reportedly remarked that celebrities may be more vulnerable than ordinary citizens because of their public status, but that does not justify the misuse of their identity or reputation.
The court also reviewed several allegedly infringing links and described one of the examples presented during the proceedings as “borderline”.
Merchandise and online misuse flagged
Apart from manipulated videos and defamatory content, Chaitanya’s legal team also raised objections to unauthorised merchandise featuring his likeness.
The petition stated that his image and identity were being commercially exploited without consent across various online platforms.
His lawyers argued that such activities constitute a violation of personality rights and sought broader protection against future misuse.
The actor’s counsel further noted that the court had previously granted similar protection to his father, veteran actor Nagarjuna, in a personality rights matter.
Dynamic injunction sought
The suit alleges that advanced AI tools, deepfake technology and digital manipulation techniques are increasingly being used to create fabricated audiovisual content that damages Chaitanya’s reputation, dignity and public image.
While some objectionable videos and links have already been removed, the actor’s legal team argued that new content continues to emerge regularly.
To address the issue, the lawyer requested a dynamic injunction that would enable quicker action against newly uploaded infringing content without requiring repeated court intervention.
Matter posted for further hearing
The Delhi High Court has issued summons in the matter and indicated that it may pass an interim order. The case has been listed for further hearing on September 30.
The proceedings add to the growing number of legal disputes involving the misuse of artificial intelligence, deepfake technology and personality rights, as public figures increasingly seek legal remedies against unauthorised digital exploitation.