The Delhi High Court has stepped in to shield actor Kajol’s identity from what it described as a rising tide of misuse across the internet’s sprawling marketplace and the fast-evolving world of artificial intelligence.
In an interim order, Justice Jyoti Singh barred a host of online platforms, sellers and AI-driven services from using Kajol’s name, image, voice or likeness without permission. The ruling comes amid allegations that her persona was being packaged into merchandise, woven into AI chatbots, and superimposed onto morphed and explicit material circulating online.
Kajol — whose full name variations such as “Kajol Mukherjee,” “Kajol Devgan,” and “Kajol Mukherjee Devgan” were specifically referenced — argued that her identity had become a commercial free-for-all. From products sold online to AI-generated images placing her in fabricated scenarios, the actor contended that her reputation was being distorted and exploited.
The Court noted that Kajol holds trademark registrations over her name “KAJOL” and asserted both statutory and common law rights over her public persona. After reviewing the material presented, the bench concluded that immediate protection was necessary to prevent further reputational harm.
In pointed observations, the Court underscored the damaging nature of morphed and pornographic depictions, as well as AI-generated images placing the actor in misleading or inappropriate contexts. Such content, it said, not only tarnishes reputation but risks deceiving the public into believing false portrayals.
Several entities, including online retailers and social media platforms, have been directed to halt the sale of merchandise bearing her name or image and to take down flagged content within 72 hours. They must also disclose details of accounts involved in the alleged violations.
The order extends beyond private platforms. The Department of Telecommunications and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology have been instructed to block specific websites named in the proceedings within the same timeframe.
The matter will return to court in April, but for now, the message is unmistakable: in the age of deepfakes and digital avatars, a celebrity’s identity is not public property.
