Bombay HC shields Shruti Haasan from AI deepfakes, orders content removal
Bombay High Court grants Shruti Haasan interim relief against AI deepfakes, citing irreparable harm to reputation and constitutional rights.
The Bombay High Court has granted actor Shruti Haasan interim protection against the unauthorised use of her image and likeness through AI-generated content, including deepfakes and manipulated videos. The court directed the removal of flagged material, acknowledging the unique risks posed by synthetic media.
Justice Madhav Jamdar observed that the continued circulation of such content could cause "irreparable injury" to Haasan's reputation, goodwill and commercial interests. The court noted that once deepfakes appear online, they can be replicated and shared widely, making the harm difficult to remedy through monetary compensation alone.
The court also recognised that morphed and superimposed images and videos can affect an individual's personality, publicity and moral rights. It observed that personality, publicity and privacy rights enjoy constitutional protection under Articles 19(1)(a) and 21 of the Constitution of India.
Haasan's legal action covers multiple forms of alleged unauthorised use, including AI-generated deepfakes, manipulated videos, commercial endorsements and merchandise featuring her image or likeness without permission. The court found a "very strong prima facie case" in her favour based on the material presented.
The suit was filed against several entities involved in the alleged creation, hosting and distribution of the disputed content. Some defendants did not appear or file their defence despite being given time, leading to an ad-interim injunction against them. Lawyers for other defendants told the court that content hosted on their platforms would be removed after receiving clear and legible URLs from Haasan's legal team.