AI film using Pawan Kalyan’s son’s identity barred by Delhi high court
HYDERABAD: The Delhi high court has barred the circulation and broadcast of an artificial intelligence-generated film that exploited the identity of Akira Nandan, son of Andhra Pradesh deputy chief minister Pawan Kalyan, holding that the unauthorised use of his name, image and likeness violated his personality and privacy rights.
Justice Tushar Rao Gadela granted interim relief while hearing a suit filed by Akira Nandan, also known as Akira Desai, who alleged that Sambhawaami Studios LLP created and uploaded on YouTube a one-hour AI-generated movie replicating his facial features, voice and overall persona for commercial gain without consent.
Court flags deepfake misuse
The plaintiff alleged infringement of his personality and publicity rights, violation of privacy, and an attempt to defraud the public through deepfake technology. The court noted that the AI morphing content portrayed fabricated intimate and romantic scenes involving the plaintiff without authorisation.
“The plaintiff also claims that the AI morphing content portraying fabricated intimate/romantic scenes involving the plaintiff without any authorisation already damaged, and had the potential to irreparably damage, his name, image, goodwill and reputation,” the court said, adding that such acts infringed the copyright in his personality.
Ex parte restraint and takedown
Allowing the plea, Justice Gadela passed an ex parte order directing immediate takedown of the AI film and all related clips, shorts and promotional material from websites and social media platforms. The court also restrained Sambhawaami Studios LLP and others from any further exploitation of the plaintiff’s persona using AI or deepfake technologies.
The judge observed that deploying AI tools to create a film with the plaintiff in the lead role underscored his distinctive image and persona, with a clear likelihood of exploiting his name, image, personality and voice. The injury and loss likely to be suffered, the court said, would be irreparable and not quantifiable in monetary terms.
The order further restrained the defendants, including John Doe parties, from using or imitating any facet of Akira Nandan’s personality traits in any manner.
