Actor Jackie Shroff had filed a suit seeking protection of his personality and public rights from any direct or indirect exploitation of his identity.The Delhi High Court has granted a permanent injunction restraining unauthorised use of actor Jackie Shroff’s name, voice and other attributes which are exclusively identifiable with him for commercial exploitation across physical and digital media.Justice Jyoti Singh decreed the suit in favour of Jackie Shroff, who had sought protection against unauthorised use of his identity on emerging technologies and platforms, including AI-generated content and the metaverse.“Accordingly, the suit is decreed in favour of the Plaintiff and against Defendants…in terms of the settlement as also in terms of paragraph 114(i) to (iv) of the plaint. Terms of settlement shall form a part of the decree and, needless to state, bind the parties thereto,” the May 21 order noted. Justice Jyoti Singh granted a permanent injunction to unauthorised entities from using Jackie Shroff’s name without his consent.‘Jackie Shroff’s personality rights’Actor Jackie Shroff had filed a suit seeking protection of his personality and public rights from any direct or indirect exploitation of his identity.He alleged that various entities were using his name, image, voice and other personality attributes associated with him without his consent.The suit specifically mentioned the use of his name and popular nicknames, including Jackie Shroff, Jackie, Jaggu Dada, and Bhidu.The relief sought also covered artificial intelligence, metaverse and other technologies.Defendant’s stand before courtAdvocate Dipti Vora for defendant no 1 (The Peppy Store), during the hearing, informed the court that the allegedly infringing links had been removed and that the defendant was willing to be bound by the injunction, provided that Jackie Shroff did not pursue any further reliefs.The Delhi High Court noted that defendants no 2-11 and 14 had already been proceeded against ex parte (on or from one side or party only) on January 27, 2025 and had taken no steps for recall of the order or participated in the proceedings thereafter.Defendant No 12 had also removed the infringing links but had failed to appear before the court; therefore, it was accordingly set ex parte, the court observed.It was further recorded that Defendant No 13 had settled the dispute with the actor on November 18, 2024, and the Defendant No 17 (John Doe) was removed from the array of parties on Shroff’s request.Story continues below this adAlso Read | Delhi High Court orders SBI to review promotion policy over visual impairment discrimination biasCelebrities who moved court for personality rights protection2025 witnessed an unprecedented number of celebrities approaching courts seeking protection of their personality rights, a concept that did not even exist a decade ago but has now become the talk of the town with the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and social media platforms.Several celebrities approached courts back-to-back this year, accusing various entities and digital platforms of unauthorised use of their images, voices, personas and personality attributes to create deepfake videos, morphed images, AI-generated content, unsolicited advertisements and brand endorsements that not only deceived their fans but also harmed their goodwill and reputation.From Amitabh Bachchan to Salman Khan, here is a list of celebrities who approached courts this year to protect their personality attributes.Story continues below this adWhy this mattersThe surge in the number of celebrities approaching the courts for their publicity rights underscores several aspects, including the infringement of the right to life and personal liberty of the celebrities and known faces.It also reflects the growing concern over the unchecked use of AI tools and social media platforms that blur the line between reality and manipulation.Also Read | Delhi High Court protects personality rights of actor Varun Dhawan, orders takedown of deepfakesSomya Panwar works with the Legal Desk at The Indian Express, where she covers the various High Courts across the country and the Supreme Court of India. Her writing is driven by a deep interest in how law influences society, particularly in areas of gender, feminism, and women’s rights. She is especially drawn to stories that examine questions of equality, autonomy, and social justice through the lens of the courts. Her work aims to make complex legal developments accessible, contextual, and relevant to everyday readers, with a focus on explaining what court decisions mean beyond legal jargon and how they shape public life. Alongside reporting, she manages the social media presence for Indian Express Legal, where she designs and curates posts using her understanding of digital trends, audience behaviour, and visual communication. Combining legal insight with strategic content design, she works on building engagement and expanding the desk’s digital reach. Somya holds a B.A. LL.B and a Master’s degree in Journalism. Before moving fully into media, she gained experience in litigation and briefly worked in corporate, giving her reporting a strong foundation. ... Read More