Telugu actor Allu Arjun approached the Delhi High Court on Friday, seeking protection of his personality rights amid rising concerns over the misuse of his identity online and in commercial spaces. The case came up before Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, who indicated that an interim order could be passed in the actor's favour.
In his petition, the Pushpa actor has asked the court to stop the unauthorised use of his name, image, voice and other personal attributes without his permission. He has also raised concerns about his identity being used for commercial purposes, such as merchandise and other profit-making activities, without consent.
During the hearing, senior advocate Swathi Sukumar, representing Allu Arjun, highlighted multiple instances where his identity was being misused, including through voice-cloning tools, AI-generated content and unauthorised applications.
She specifically pointed to a “fake-call Pushpa” app, noting that it lets users interact with an AI version of the actor, which could easily be misused for scams as it closely imitates his face and video presence.
The plea also stressed that such misuse could lead to fraud, spread misinformation and harm the actor's reputation. It was further noted that Allu Arjun holds registered trademarks for his name, which strengthens his case against unauthorised usage.
Responding to the issue, representatives of Meta and Google told the court that several links, apps and products violating the actor's rights had already been removed. One of the platforms also confirmed that merchandise using his identity had been taken down.
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This case is part of a growing trend where public figures are turning to courts to protect their identity in the digital age. Celebrities like Salman Khan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Karan Johar, Mohanlal, Sonakshi Sinha, Vivek Oberoi, Gautam Gambhir and Sunil Gavaskar have taken similar legal steps in the past.
Courts have also granted protection to figures like journalist Sudhir Chaudhary and podcaster Raj Shamani in cases involving misleading or AI-generated content.
Allu Arjun's move highlights rising identity misuse in the AI era, with the court's decision likely to shape personality rights protection in India.
On the work front, Allu Arjun is set to headline the ambitious pan-India film Raaka, which is currently in production.
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