Samantha Ruth Prabhu Gets Interim Protection From Bombay High Court Over Deepfakes

Actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu has secured interim protection from the Bombay High Court against the unauthorised use of her name, image, voice and other aspects of her identity. The court has directed the removal of several forms of allegedly misleading and objectionable content, including AI-generated deepfakes, morphed images and videos linked to the actor.

The order came after Samantha approached the court seeking protection of her personality rights and publicity rights. Her plea raised concerns over the use of her identity in digital content without her permission, including material that could potentially cause reputational harm.

The Bombay High Court has directed various platforms and entities to take down content that allegedly misuses Samantha’s identity. The material covered by the order reportedly includes deepfake videos, AI-generated voice content, morphed photographs and obscene material. The court also addressed the use of her identity in interactive AI chatbots.

Justice Madhav Jamdar, while hearing the matter, observed that the material presented before the court prima facie indicated violations of Samantha’s rights. The proceedings also examined issues surrounding her right to privacy, dignity and the commercial value associated with her public identity. The case highlights growing legal concerns surrounding the misuse of celebrities’ identities through artificial intelligence and deepfake technology. As AI tools make it easier to create realistic images, videos and voices, public figures have increasingly faced the unauthorised circulation of digitally manipulated material.

Samantha’s petition also raised issues concerning her rights as a performer under the Copyright Act. The court’s interim directions are intended to restrict the unauthorised exploitation of her identity while the broader legal dispute continues.

The development comes amid increasing debate over how Indian courts should deal with AI deepfakes and celebrity personality rights. The case could also contribute to the evolving legal framework surrounding the use of artificial intelligence to reproduce or manipulate the identities of public figures. The matter will continue before the Bombay High Court, with the next hearing scheduled for December 10. Further proceedings are expected to examine the legal claims raised by Samantha and the continued use of her identity in digital content.