Amitabh Bachchan's name, image now legally protected

The Delhi High Court has finalized a landmark personality rights case in favor of Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan. A final decree now legally restrains numerous entities and unknown individuals from using his name, image, voice, or likeness for commercial purposes without explicit consent. This significant ruling, presided over by Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav, concludes proceedings that began with an interim injunction in November 2022.

The court affirmed that the right to control the commercial exploitation of an individual's identity falls under the "right to publicity." It recognized that Bachchan's identity had been misused on various platforms, potentially misleading the public into believing he endorsed certain products or services. The unauthorized uses included a mobile application, promotional messages for a lottery, a quiz book, merchandise, and domain names.

The protection now extends to unidentified persons, known as John Does, acknowledging the pervasive nature of online misuse. Four defendants voluntarily settled with Bachchan, agreeing to cease all unauthorized usage and remove related applications and publications. The court granted summary judgment against the remaining defendants who did not appear, emphasizing that further unauthorized use could lead to new legal actions.