High Court
HC to deliver order on ‘Kanhaiya’ Wednesday
MUMBAI: Zee’s Kanhaiyya that launched a week late and was again restrained by the court from airing its second episode last Sunday, should have a final order out on the case tomorrow.
The high court judge hearing the case has reserved his ruling till tomorrow.
Kanhaiyya, a weekly family entertainer with dollops of religiosity thrown in, was supposed to play a pivotal role in Zee TV’s plans to spruce up its Sunday morning slot. The project had been stalled earlier after production company Sundial filed a plea before Justice Bobde claiming it had conceptualised the original story idea under the title name Krish Kanhaiyya..
After a week of silence, Zee announced it was going ahead with Kanhaiyya , following what seemed like some sort of agreement between both parties. The show finally launched on 16 March and but failed to air this Sunday.
When asked about the recent developments, a Zee spokesperson confirmed that the production company had stalled the project once again on 22 March, by obtaining a court order. The company however maintains that the Kanhaiyya was Zee’s original concept and dismisses Sundial’s claim by saying any resemblance of the serial to any other programme is purely coincidental.
Meanwhile, Sundial claims that it had first offered the idea to Zee Telefilms who were interested but no agreement could be reached on the financial terms. Subsequently, the project was offered to Sony Entertainment Television and discussions had been underway to slot the series as a half-hour show that would air four days a week.
Sundial further stated that it had already registered the script and idea with the Film Writers’ Association in 2002 and therefore this was a clear case for copyright violation.
A single judge bench of the Mumbai High Court in a ruling delivered on 12 March, prima facie accepted a plea of copyright infringement served against Zee Telefilms, the show’s producer Gulshan Sachdeva and his production company Film and Shots. Justice Bobde, while delivering his ruling, concurred with Sundial’s contention and debarred Zee from developing a similar story line. Zee then moved to a division bench and got stay on the injuction, and screened the first episode on 16 March.
Later however, according to the media reports, there had been a preview arranged for the bench on 21 March. After viewing episodes of both the serial the court vacated the stay on the injunction and restrained Zee from telecasting further episodes.
Point to note: This report had initially stated that Sundial was Star News president Ravina Raj Kohli’s production company. Its director Karthik Menon has clarified that Kohli has no direct or indirect holding, ownership or interest in Sundial Communications Private Ltd.
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.
