Delhi Court Halts AI Movie Exploiting Actor's Son's Likeness

The Delhi High Court has issued a restraining order against the circulation and broadcast of an AI-generated film that allegedly exploited the name, personality, and likeness of Akira Nandan, son of Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan.

Akira Nandan filed a suit claiming that Sambhawaami Studios LLP created a movie on YouTube featuring him without his permission. The film purportedly used AI morphing and deepfake technology to portray fabricated intimate scenes, violating his rights to privacy and personality.

The court acknowledged Akira Nandan as a prominent personality from a reputed family in the entertainment industry. It noted that using AI to create a movie with him in the lead role was likely to exploit his image and persona, causing irreparable harm.

Consequently, the court mandated the immediate takedown of the online content across all platforms. Defendants, including Sambhawaami Studios LLP and John Doe entities, are restrained from further exploiting Akira Nandan's persona through AI or deepfake technologies. Meta Platforms was also directed to remove infringing content within 72 hours if users fail to do so. The matter is scheduled for further proceedings on February 5.