Court Grants Relief to Bollywood Singer Kumar Sanu Against Unauthorized Use of His Identity

In a significant move to safeguard the rights of celebrities, the Delhi High Court has granted interim relief to renowned Bollywood singer Kumar Sanu. Sanu had filed a lawsuit against tech giants like Google, Meta, Flipkart, and Amazon, alleging the misuse of his name, voice, image, and vocal style.

The court, in its order dated October 15, 2025, has prohibited the unauthorized use of Sanu's persona, including his name, likeness, image, voice, and other attributes, for commercial purposes. The order specifically bars the platforms from creating any merchandise, videos, or photographs using Sanu's persona through the use of advanced technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Sanu, often referred to as the 'Melody King of Bollywood', has been a prominent figure in the Indian music industry for over four decades. The court recognized Sanu's immense goodwill and reputation as a celebrated singer, acknowledging his right to safeguard his personality traits and publicity rights.

The interim order directs the tech companies to take down multiple URLs and social media accounts that have been using Sanu's persona without his consent. The court has also directed the platforms to comply with the order and refrain from any further infringement of the singer's rights.

This ruling adds to the growing list of court decisions aimed at protecting the personality rights of celebrities, including Anil Kapoor, Karan Johar, and Jackie Shroff. The decision underscores the importance of respecting the intellectual property and publicity rights of public figures in the digital age.