High Court
Shemaroo obtains John Doe order from HC to protect ‘Hunterrr’ from piracy
MUMBAI: Shemaroo Entertainment has obtained a John Doe order from the Mumbai High Court to protect its latest release Hunterrr from the menace of piracy. The order, not only restricts piracy on cable, digital and physical medium but action can also be taken against a person watching the film from an illegal source.
Shemaroo Entertainment has sent a copy of the order to various MSOs, LCOs and ISPs. Further, the court has directed all police authorities to act on the order.
The order restrains any person from “downloading from internet, telecasting, broadcasting and distributing or putting on the cable TV network, disseminating, reproducing or otherwise making available to the public, the film Hunterrr or “from (i) making a copy of the said film, (ii) to sell or give on hire, or offer for sale or hire, any copy of the said film (iii) to communicate the film to the public in any manner whatsoever including by way of but not limited to telecasting and/or re telecasting the said film, or even otherwise dealing with the rights in the said film which vest exclusively in the Plaintiff, in any manner whatsoever.” The order also restrains others “from communicating or making available or distributing, or duplicating, or displaying, or releasing, or showing, or uploading, or downloading or exhibiting, or playing, and/or defraying the movie Hunterrr in any manner from the Plaintiff or in any other manner, which would violate/infringe the Plaintiff’s copyright in the said film Hunterrr.”
Hunterrr stars Gulshan Devaiah, Radhika Apte and Sai Tamhankar and is produced by Anurag Kashyap’s Phantom Films.
A John Doe order is defined as an action instituted by a party who seeks the aid of the Court in fear of some future probable injury to his rights or interest and the action is brought to prevent a wrong that is apprehended.
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.
