Expressing serious concern over the “sophisticated and deceptive” nature of AI-created deepfakes, Justice Arif S. Doctor of the Bombay High Court observed that it is becoming “virtually impossible” to distinguish fake content from real.
The court was hearing a petition filed by Akshay Kumar, who sought protection against the misuse of his likeness and persona in AI-generated videos, including one portraying him making offensive remarks against Maharishi Valmiki.
“The deepfake video of the Plaintiff making communally inflammatory statements is deeply concerning,” Justice Doctor said. “Such content not only violates the Plaintiff’s moral and personality rights but poses a grave threat to social order.”
The judge emphasized that these manipulations can endanger public safety, provoke communal discord, and inflict irreversible reputational damage.
The Case: Defending Identity in the Age of AI
Kumar’s lawsuit seeks a permanent and mandatory John Doe injunction against unknown online entities, social media platforms, and websites to prevent the unauthorized use of his image, name, voice, and likeness.
The complaint cites large-scale misuse of his persona through AI-generated content, counterfeit merchandise, deceptive advertisements, and fake endorsements across YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, X (Twitter), and e-commerce sites.
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The actor’s legal team argued that this misuse not only infringes upon his publicity and commercial rights but also violates his fundamental rights under the Constitution of India.
Court’s Intervention and Wider Implications
In its October 15 order, the court granted ex-parte interim relief, directing the removal of the deepfake videos from all public platforms. The judge ruled that immediate intervention was warranted given the “potential for irreversible harm” to both the plaintiff and the public at large.
Justice Doctor’s order is among the first in India to explicitly address the legal implications of AI deepfakes, signaling a growing judicial recognition of the threat they pose to privacy, identity, and public trust.
Beyond One Case: A Legal Frontier Emerges
Experts say the ruling could serve as a precedent for digital personality rights in India, especially as AI-generated impersonations become increasingly prevalent.
“The court’s remarks highlight how deepfakes are evolving faster than regulatory frameworks,” said a Mumbai-based legal scholar. “What’s at stake now isn’t just celebrity image protection — it’s the integrity of truth itself.”
For Kumar and many others navigating the new frontier of synthetic media, the battle is no longer about copyright or consent alone — it’s about reclaiming the boundaries of personhood in an algorithmic world.
