The Delhi High Court issued an interim order protecting Mohan Babu’s personality and publicity rights, restraining unauthorized use of his name, voice, or image by social media, AI platforms, and e-commerce sites. The Court emphasized the potential for irreparable harm and directed the removal of violative content, with the next hearing scheduled for May 2025.
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Friday issued an interim order safeguarding the personality and publicity rights of veteran Telugu actor Mohan Babu. The Court restrained various social media platforms, Artificial Intelligence (AI) chatbots, and e-commerce websites from unauthorized use of the actor’s name, voice, or image.
Justice Mini Pushkarna, presiding over the case, observed that Mohan Babu had established a prima facie case for interim relief. The Court stated that irreparable harm could occur without immediate intervention to protect the actor’s rights.
“The defendants, their associates, servants and other related persons are restrained from creating, publishing and communicating to the public any content that infringes the personality rights of the plaintiff,”
ordered the Court.
The ruling also forbids the defendants from utilizing AI, the Metaverse, or any other mediums to exploit Mohan Babu’s identity without permission. Furthermore, the Court directed that no goods can be sold using the actor’s persona unless explicitly authorized by him. Additionally, Google has been instructed to remove all content flagged by Mohan Babu as violative of his rights.
The case is set for its next hearing in May 2025.
This order comes in the wake of a similar ruling from October 2024, when Vishnu Manchu, Mohan Babu’s son, approached the Delhi High Court and secured comparable relief.
Mohan Babu, born Manchu Bhaktavatsalam Naidu on March 19, 1952, is a celebrated Indian actor, producer, and former politician. Over his illustrious career spanning decades, Mohan Babu has appeared in over 500 films, earning the prestigious Padma Shri in 2007 for his contributions to Indian cinema. Outside the film industry, he manages the Sree Vidyanikethan Educational Institutions in Andhra Pradesh.
Despite his professional acclaim, Mohan Babu has faced personal controversies, including a property dispute with his younger son Manoj Manchu. On December 10, during an altercation over their Hyderabad farmhouse, Mohan Babu was alleged to have assaulted a reporter, leading to an FIR being filed against him. He later issued an unconditional apology.
Mohan Babu joins a growing list of celebrities seeking protection of their personality rights. Anil Kapoor was among the first to obtain a similar order, targeting misuse of his persona by AI and social media platforms. His efforts earned him recognition from Time Magazine. Recently, actor Jackie Shroff also secured relief from the Delhi High Court.
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