High Court
HC allows private news channels 7 minutes cricket footage
MUMBAI: Private news channels have won themselves a significant hike in the amount of footage they can air of the ongoing India-South Africa cricket series.
The Delhi High Court has upped the time limit to seven minutes from the two minutes that telecast rights holder Prasar Bharati had decreed that TV channels were entitled to.
However, there is a rider that no commercials will be telecast before, during or after the footage has been aired by private TV channels.
This is a major victory for the private news channels because on 28 October the pubcaster had obtained an interim injunction from the court against TV channels using more than the set limit of cricket footage per day.
The court also directed setting up of a technical committee to examine the issue and submit a report to it by 12 December, the next date of hearing.
Pertinently, the court ruled that the committee “shall not be influenced by the present set of guidelines issued by Prasar Bharati or the government for the use of Doordarshans footage of the matches, except legislative enactments,” news agency UNI reported.
The technical committee is scheduled to hold its first meeting on 5 December.
The order will remain in force till disposal of the case, the court has said.
The case pertains to an assertion by the pubcaster that it had the exclusive rights from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to telecast the matches and that some news channels were violating the terms it had laid down for usage of its footage.
Sahara Samay, Asianet News, ETV2, India TV and TV9 were the news channels Prasar Bharati accused of being in breach of the terms.
While arguing the case on Thursday, India TV’s counsel Pratibha Singh had pointed out that whereas the private news channels were restrained, Doordarshan News was allowed to use about 120 minutes of footage even though it was not in the purview of the contract.
”The use of footage by the news channels in their news bulletins does not amount to infringement of copyright, but is a bonafide act of fair dealing and fair use,” Singh had asserted.
The prescribed norms as stipulated by Prasar Bharati were that no TV channel can use more than two minutes a day of cricket visuals from matches being aired on DD in any programme or news bulletin. The DD-laid down conditions also barred a TV channel from mounting a cricket-related show using such footage from the ongoing series.
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.
