Janhvi Kapoor’s legal battle over the unauthorised use of her name and image online has come under fresh scrutiny, with the Delhi High Court raising questions over the scope of personality rights while dealing with the actress’ plea.
The actress had approached the court seeking protection against the unauthorised use of her identity online, including allegedly obscene, fake and AI-generated content. The court has directed action against such objectionable material, with reports stating that thousands of webpages carrying inappropriate content involving Janhvi have been ordered to be taken down.
However, during the proceedings, the court also questioned the broader demand for restrictions on online fan pages and other content. The bench observed that the growing trend of celebrities approaching courts for personality-rights protection needs to be examined carefully.
The Delhi High Court reportedly expressed concern that the concept of personality rights could be “going out of hand”, particularly as actors, cricketers, singers and other public figures increasingly seek legal protection for their names, images and other personality attributes.
The case highlights the growing legal challenge surrounding celebrity identities in the digital era, especially with the rise of AI-generated and manipulated content. While courts have increasingly stepped in to protect public figures from obscene or misleading material, the question of where personality rights should end and legitimate fan activity, commentary or expression should begin remains significant.
For Janhvi, the immediate legal battle is centred on preventing the misuse of her identity and removing objectionable material circulating online. At the same time, the court’s observations could have wider implications for how personality rights are interpreted and enforced for celebrities in India.
The matter remains important not only for Janhvi Kapoor but also for the larger entertainment industry, as the use of AI, deepfakes and unauthorised celebrity content continues to grow across digital platforms.
