The Madras High Court found a strong prima facie case of personality rights violation and restrained the AI-driven misuse of Kamal Haasan’s image and likeness. The interim order bars unauthorised circulation and commercial exploitation while safeguarding satire and creative expression.
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CHENNAI: In a ruling on personality rights in the digital age, the Madras High Court on Monday held that a strong prima facie case had been established by veteran actor and Rajya Sabha MP Kamal Haasan in a suit alleging misuse of his name, image and likeness. The court restrained the defendants from circulating morphed images or selling merchandise using his persona without consent, while clarifying that legitimate caricature and satire remain protected.
A single-judge bench of Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy observed that morphed images of Kamal Haasan had been placed before the court and that his photographs and name were being used on merchandise without authorisation. Recording these findings, the court passed an interim injunction restraining the respondents from:
- Creating or circulating false or morphed images of Kamal Haasan through any media
- Selling or distributing merchandise using his name or image without consent
The restraint will remain in force until the next date of hearing.
Importantly, the High Court clarified that its order does not restrict caricature, satire, or other permissible creative expression. This clarification balances the protection of personality rights with the constitutional guarantee of freedom of expression, particularly in the context of art, commentary and parody.
Kamal Haasan has filed the suit against Neeyevidai and several unnamed defendants described as “John Does,” a legal mechanism used to proceed against unidentified individuals involved in alleged violations. The actor contended that due to the nature of digital platforms and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI) tools, it is difficult to identify all violators at the preliminary stage.
In his plea, Kamal Haasan highlighted the growing risk posed by AI-generated content, deepfakes and digital manipulation, which can exploit a public figure’s name, likeness and persona without consent. He argued that such misuse threatens not only his commercial interests but also his reputation and dignity.
The suit seeks protection against unauthorised use of:
- His name and image
- The abbreviation “KH.”
- His likeness and other attributes are exclusively identifiable with him
pending the final disposal of the case.
Appearance:
Kamal Haasan: Senior Counsel Vijayan Subramanian, Advocates M. V. Bhaskar, N. C. Narindraadithyan, A. Murali, Dhanush M., and Albert Paul R.
Case Title:
Kamal Haasan vs. Neeyevidai and Another
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