Bollywood actress Janhvi Kapoor has approached the Delhi High Court seeking protection against the unauthorised use of her name, image and identity online. Her plea covers several forms of misuse, including obscene content, AI-generated material, impersonation and other unauthorised online activity.
During the hearing, the court questioned the wider restrictions sought in the plea, particularly those involving fan pages. Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani reportedly observed that fan pages cannot automatically be considered unlawful simply because they use an actor’s name or images.
Fan accounts can be used to appreciate an actor, discuss their films, share photographs or even express criticism. The court therefore indicated that genuine fan activity and harmful misuse of a celebrity’s identity need to be treated differently.
At the same time, the court was willing to take action against clearly objectionable material, including obscene and pornographic content that allegedly misuses Kapoor’s identity.
The actress’s plea reportedly covers more than 5,000 webpages and social media posts, including allegedly pornographic AI-generated content, impersonation accounts and other unauthorised uses of her identity.
The hearing highlights the growing challenge celebrities face in protecting their personality rights in the digital age. While public figures can seek legal protection against harmful or unlawful content, the case also raises questions about where to draw the line between protecting personal identity and allowing genuine fan activity and public expression.
The Delhi High Court’s observations underline the need for a balance between celebrity personality rights and freedom of expression in the rapidly changing online environment.