Delhi High Court Grants Interim Relief to Arjun Kapoor, Cracks Down on Deepfake Misuse

The Delhi High Court has granted interim protection to actor Arjun Kapoor, restraining the unauthorised use of his personality, including his name, image, voice, and likeness, across digital platforms.

The order was passed by Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, who observed that the actor had established a strong prima facie case of infringement. The court issued an ad-interim injunction against multiple entities, including unidentified individuals, prohibiting them from exploiting Kapoor’s identity for commercial or other gains without his consent.

Kapoor had approached the court citing widespread misuse of his persona, particularly on the internet. His plea pointed to several instances of unauthorised activities, including the sale of merchandise, fake endorsements, impersonation for event bookings, and the circulation of manipulated content generated using artificial intelligence. Of particular concern were deepfake videos allegedly depicting the actor in obscene and sexually explicit contexts.

Taking note of these allegations, the court observed that such acts were not only unauthorised but also aimed at unlawful enrichment. It held that the defendants were misappropriating Kapoor’s personality rights—rights that are exclusively vested in him—and deriving undue financial benefit through such misuse.

The bench also emphasised the serious reputational harm caused by the circulation of vulgar and fabricated content. It noted that deepfake material, especially of an explicit nature, could cause irreparable damage to an individual’s public image. In view of this, the court directed the immediate removal of all infringing content from online platforms.

Additionally, the court instructed intermediaries and digital platforms to take down offending links and disclose basic details of accounts responsible for publishing such content. This step is aimed at identifying the perpetrators and preventing further violations.

The ruling underscores the judiciary’s increasing recognition of personality rights in the digital era, particularly in cases involving emerging technologies like deepfakes. The matter is expected to come up for further hearing, while the interim order remains in force.