Tollywood star Nagarjuna has moved the Delhi High Court. He filed a petition asking people not to use his name or pictures without his consent. The hearing on his petition took place on Thursday morning.
Earlier, Bollywood actors Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, Anil Kapoor and Abhishek Bachchan had also approached the court for protection of their personality rights. The Delhi High Court had already ruled that film stars’ names and pictures cannot be used without their permission.
Nagarjuna now seeks the same safeguard for his identity. Personality rights cover a person’s name, image, voice, signature and other unique traits, protecting them from unauthorised commercial use. The petition aims to secure his control over such rights.
Actors usually allow the use of their identity in films, ads and campaigns. But unauthorised uses, such as printing their images on merchandise or creating AI-generated deepfakes, rob them of control and affect their dignity. The issue has become urgent in the digital age.
Experts say personality rights need stronger legal protection. They argue that the law should cover not only celebrities but also ordinary individuals whose identities are at risk of misuse in a fast-changing digital world.
