High Court
Mumbai HC upholds Creative Eye right to ‘Jai Santoshi…’ track
MUMBAI: It may not be music to the ears of Kavi Pradeep’s descendants, but the Mumbai High Court has upheld Creative Eye’s rights to use the poet’s title track for its mythological Jai Santoshi Maa.
The serial, currently aired on Zee TV, uses the hit track from the similarly titled film which spawned a massive cult following when released in 1975. Pradeep, who penned the lyrics for a pittance for the film’s producer Satram Rohra, is no more but his daughter Mittul Pradeep, dragged Creative Eye to court, asking that Pradeep be given due acknowledgement in the serial’s credits. Creative Eye MD Dheeraj Kumar did not deem it necessary, having bought the rights for using the song from Rohra for a reported Rs 48,000.
The court, in its ruling this week, has also upheld Rohra’s rights to the work and dismissed Pradeep’s petition. “Under clause 7 all the rights in the work vest in defendent no. 3 (Satram Rohra) without any reservation. At least in this prima facie stage, therefore, it is not possible based on a prima facie reading of Clauses 7 or 8 to hold that they are contract to the contrary to bring the contract of service within the purview of Section 17 (c) of the Copyright Act”, it ruled.
Earlier, Mittul Pradeep had sent copies of her petition to the Film Writers’ Association, Indian Motion Picture Producers’ Association (IMPPA), The Indian Performing Right Society (IPRS) and Zee TV, of which only the Film Writers’ Association (FWA), of which Kavi Pradeep had been a member, responded, supporting him legally, morally and financially.
IMPPA, say media reports, took up the issue in March but Kumar had claimed he should not be held responsible for anything because he had the bond from Rohra. With the high court finally ruling in Creative Eye’s favour, the controversy seems to have ended. For now.
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.
