Manoj Bajpayee moves Delhi High Court over unauthorised use of image, voice

Indian actor Manoj Bajpayee has moved the Delhi High Court seeking protection against the unauthorised commercial use of his name, image and voice, including alleged AI-generated imitations of his voice and distorted portrayals of his persona on AI chatbots.

The 57-year-old actor recently filed a writ petition seeking protection of his personality rights, according to Indian legal news reports.

In his petition, Bajpayee alleged that individuals and businesses have been using his image for commercial purposes without permission. He cited a fashion brand that allegedly used his photograph in a way that could make consumers believe he was endorsing its suits or clothing.

He also alleged that some parties have used AI technology to replicate his voice for commercial purposes. His petition further claimed that aspects of his personality have been misrepresented on various AI chatbots.

The case comes as the growing use of AI raises new legal questions over the unauthorised use of celebrities’ likenesses, voices and identities. Indian celebrities including Amitabh Bachchan, Tabu, Allu Arjun, Mohanlal, Kajol, R Madhavan, Jr NTR, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Salman Khan, and cricketers Sunil Gavaskar and Yuvraj Singh have previously obtained personality-rights protection from the Delhi High Court.

Bajpayee, known for films and series including “The Family Man”, is now seeking similar legal protection for his identity and persona.