High Court
HC rules against Zee in ‘Kanhaiyya’ case
MUMBAI: The Mumbai High Court has ruled against Zee Telefilms restraining it from airing its beleagured Sunday morning show Kanhaiyya.
The division bench of Justice AP Shah and Justice Deshmukh of the Bombay High Court on Thursday (27 March) dismissed the appeal filed by Zee Telefilms Limited against a single judge’s order restraining the telecast of the serial.
Kanhaiyya has been swimming in troubled waters ever since its first proposed launch on 9 March. After Sundial Communication took the channel to court for copyright violations, alleging that Zee had appropriated its original idea from a 52-episode serial called Krish Kanhaiyya. The serial did launch on 16 March, after the division bench stayed an ad interim injunction. The stay was however, vacated after the judges viewed episodes of both Kanhaiyya and Krish Kanhaiya and the serial was not telecast on 23 March. The final verdict was delivered Thursday.
Kanhaiyya was part of a slew of shows Zee had lined to beef up its Sunday morning band. The dash of religion, mixed with family drama was expected to pull in viewers from diverse age groups.
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HC to deliver order on ‘Kanhaiya’ Wednesday
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.
