The Delhi High Court has stepped in to guard the voice and likeness of legendary playback singer Kumar Sanu, issuing a sweeping order to protect his personality rights from digital misuse and AI-driven imitations.
Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora granted an interim injunction that bars any unauthorized commercial use of Sanu’s name, image, voice, or other defining traits until further hearing in March 2026. The Court observed that these personal attributes — including his name “Kumar Sanu,” photographs, likeness, and voice — are integral to his identity and therefore protected elements of his personality.
Echoing its stance in earlier cases involving film icons like Anil Kapoor, Karan Johar, and Jackie Shroff, the Court made it clear that individuals in the public eye have a right to preserve the authenticity of their persona against digital manipulation and unauthorized exploitation.
As part of its directions, the Court instructed Amazon and Flipkart to remove merchandise infringing on Sanu’s rights and restrained two sellers from continuing such sales. Google and Meta were ordered to take down content flagged by Sanu as infringing and to provide subscriber details of the accounts responsible. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) were also directed to suspend the offending websites, URLs, and mobile apps identified in the case.
The singer’s lawsuit — valued at ₹2 crore — targets multiple AI-driven platforms, online intermediaries, and unidentified individuals accused of creating morphed videos, fake social media profiles, and counterfeit merchandise using his likeness. One imitation app even appeared on Google Play, allegedly mimicking his persona without consent.
Sanu contended that his name and voice possess distinct commercial and cultural value, and the misuse of artificial intelligence to generate fake audio or visual content not only undermines that value but also harms his reputation. His plea emphasized that phrases like “Kumar Sanu,” “Sanu Da,” and “The Melody King of Bollywood” deserve dual protection — both under personality rights and trademark law.
The Court’s interim order marks a significant move in the ongoing battle against AI-generated deepfakes and digital impersonation — particularly for artists whose creative identity is inseparable from their public image.