Shruti Haasan, the well-known actor, has taken legal action in the Bombay High Court to protect herself from the unauthorized use of her image in AI-generated content, including deepfake videos. The court has granted her interim relief and has ordered the removal of content that she flagged as problematic.
Justice Madhav Jamdar noted that the ongoing spread of these AI-created deepfakes and altered images could lead to significant harm to Haasan’s reputation and commercial interests. The judge emphasized that once such content is available online, it can be easily replicated, making it hard to fix the damage with just monetary compensation. He also pointed out that manipulated images can infringe on a person’s rights to their identity and publicity.
Haasan’s legal claim addresses various forms of unauthorized use, including the creation of deepfake content, altered videos, and the use of her likeness for commercial purposes without her consent. The court recognized that her rights to personality, publicity, and privacy are protected under the Indian Constitution, establishing a strong initial case in her favor.
In her lawsuit, Haasan has targeted several entities that are allegedly involved in creating, hosting, and distributing the disputed content. Some defendants failed to appear in court or submit their defenses even after being given time, leading the court to issue an interim injunction against them.
Representatives for some defendants informed the court that they would remove the contested content once provided with proper links from Haasan’s legal team. Haasan was supported in court by a team of lawyers from Anand & Naik, including Rashmin Khandekar and Ameet Naik.
