High Court
Delhi high court provides relief to Inox India in copyright registration appeal
Mumbai: The Delhi high court provided relief to Inox India (INOX) by allowing an appeal challenging specific remarks included in the copyright registration certificate issued by the registrar of copyrights. Khaitan & Co represented Inox in this matter. The team included Smriti Yadav (partner), Nirupam Lodha (partner), Dhiren Karania (principal associate), Gautam Wadhwa (Senior Associate) and Vanshika Thapliyal (associate). Senior advocate Chander M. Lall appeared for Inox in this matter.
The appeal addressed Inox’s contention that the registrar of copyrights had incorrectly imposed remarks on the certificate, including a statement that copyright in the work would cease if applied to an article more than 50 times. Inox argued that this restriction was inapplicable, as the artistic work in question, consisting of technical drawings, does not qualify for registration as a “design” under the Designs Act, 2000. Inox asserted that these remarks were unfounded and had been added without proper reasoning or rationale.
During the proceedings before honorable justice Mini Pushkarna, the registrar of copyrights agreed to amend the registration certificate, committing to issue a corrected certificate without the contested remarks within four weeks. Additionally, the registrar’s counsel informed the court of ongoing updates to the website portal to prevent similar issues in the future.
The court took note of these submissions and disposed of the appeal accordingly.
High Court
Bombay HC likely to protect Kartik Aaryan’s personality rights
Actor seeks Rs 15 crore damages over AI misuse, deepfakes and merch
MUMBAI: In an age where faces can be faked and voices cloned, even stardom needs legal armour. The Bombay High Court has indicated it will pass an order safeguarding the personality and publicity rights of Bollywood actor Kartik Aaryan, following allegations of widespread digital misuse of his identity.
The matter, heard by Justice Sharmila U. Deshmukh, centres on a plea filed by Aaryan seeking a broad John Doe injunction against 16 defendants, including e-commerce platforms, social media intermediaries and unidentified entities. The court noted the concerns raised and said appropriate orders would be issued.
At the heart of the case lies the growing threat of artificial intelligence-driven impersonation. Aaryan’s petition flags multiple instances of deepfake content circulating across platforms such as YouTube and Instagram, where his likeness has allegedly been used to create fabricated videos, including false romantic link-ups and objectionable scenarios designed to drive engagement.
In one particularly alarming example, the actor’s legal filing cites AI-generated visuals that falsely associate him with controversial global figures, including Jeffrey Epstein. The plea argues that such content not only misleads audiences but also causes serious reputational damage.
The concerns extend beyond content to commerce. The suit alleges that unauthorised merchandise bearing Aaryan’s name and image is being sold across platforms such as Amazon, Flipkart and Redbubble, without his consent. Additionally, the actor has raised red flags over AI-powered chatbots that mimic his voice and simulate conversations, warning of potential misuse in fraudulent activities.
Aaryan’s filing underscores that he is the registered proprietor of the trademark “Kartik Aaryan”, with his name, voice and likeness carrying significant commercial value. The unauthorised use of these attributes, the plea states, leads to “immediate and irreparable harm” to his goodwill.
Seeking both preventive and punitive relief, the actor has requested a permanent injunction restraining entities from exploiting his identity in any form be it name, voice, signature or distinctive dialogue style. He has also sought damages amounting to Rs 15 crore for alleged commercial misappropriation and reputational loss.
The case highlights a larger legal and cultural moment, where the lines between reality and replication are increasingly blurred. As AI tools become more accessible, courts are now being called upon to define the boundaries of identity in the digital age, where a face may be famous, but control over it is no longer guaranteed.
