Cinema VinesSamantha Ruth Prabhu has won a landmark ruling in the Bombay High Court that bars artificial‑intelligence platforms, e‑commerce sites and digital media outlets from using her name, image or voice without her permission. The court granted interim relief on Thursday, ordering the removal of any unauthorised content featuring the actress and prohibiting further use of her likeness.
The case, filed under the suit for personality rights, centred on AI‑generated deepfakes and morphed images that the actress claims infringe her constitutional and statutory protections. Justice Madhav Jamdar observed that Samantha’s personality and publicity rights are safeguarded by Article 19(1)(a) and Article 21 of the Constitution, as well as by Section 38B of the Copyright Act, which protects performers’ moral rights. The judge noted that the defendants’ actions “violate and adversely affect” these rights.
Prabhu’s petition targeted 18 defendants, including unnamed infringers, technology firms, AI developers, digital media companies, e‑commerce platforms and even government bodies. She sought permanent injunctions, content takedowns, damages and a John Doe order to enable action against unknown parties. The suit also invoked Section 62 of the Copyright Act for jurisdictional purposes, with the actress arguing that her business base is in Mumbai while the alleged infringements occur beyond the court’s usual territorial limits.
Granted leave under Clause XII of the Letters Patent on 28 August, the court acknowledged that the actress’s goodwill is rooted in Mumbai but that the commercial activities of the non‑resident defendants extend beyond the local jurisdiction. The interim order now requires the removal of offending material and bars any further unauthorised use of her identity. The next hearing is scheduled for 10 December.
