Bombay HC Protects Shilpa Shetty’s Personality Rights, Restricts Unauthorised Use Of Her Name, Image And Voice

The Bombay High Court has granted protection to the personality rights of Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty, placing strict restrictions on the unauthorised use of her name, image, voice, likeness, or overall persona on digital platforms. The court’s order restrains defendants from misusing or misrepresenting the actress’s identity in any form.

The ruling also directs that any defamatory or infringing content related to Shetty that is circulating online must be removed immediately. The court emphasised that the identity and reputation of a public figure cannot be commercially exploited or digitally manipulated without the individual’s consent.

In addition, the court made it clear that digital platforms and online intermediaries must act promptly when such unlawful content is brought to their notice. They are required to take swift action in removing material that violates the actor’s personality rights.

Reacting to the development, lawyer Sana Raees Khan, who is representing Shilpa in the matter, welcomed the decision and described it as an important step in addressing the growing issue of deepfakes and digital impersonation. She said, “The Bombay High Court has made it absolutely clear in Ms. Shilpa Shetty's personality rights case that the internet cannot become a playground for deepfakes and digital impersonation. The Court has protected her personality rights and acknowledged that her name, image, voice, and persona are valuable legal rights which cannot be commercially exploited or digitally manipulated without her consent.”

She further added, “This order reinforces that digital platforms and intermediaries must act swiftly to remove such material and must restrain the misuse of technology that violates her dignity and reputation.”

Shilpa had approached the Bombay High Court in November 2025 seeking legal protection for her personality rights. During recent hearings, the court also raised concerns over the legality of certain artificial intelligence tools that simulate celebrity personalities without obtaining their consent.

The actress is not the first celebrity to receive such protection. Several other Bollywood personalities, including Kajol, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Shatrughan Sinha, Abhishek Bachchan, Vivek Oberoi and Salman Khan, have also secured court protection against the misuse of their identity and persona on the internet.

The order highlights increasing legal scrutiny around deepfakes and the unauthorised use of celebrity identities in the digital era. 

Image Source- Google