Shilpa Shetty Files Case Against Misuse Of Her Image, Seeks Personality Rights Protection In Bombay HC
Shilpa Shetty files a case in the Bombay High Court to stop unauthorised use of her photos and morphed visuals. The actor joins several celebrities seeking personality rights protection.
Shilpa Shetty has become the latest Bollywood celebrity to approach the judiciary for safeguarding her personality rights. The actor has filed a lawsuit in the Bombay High Court after discovering multiple platforms using her photographs, likeness and morphed visuals without her approval.
According to reports, the suit lists several websites that have allegedly misused her image for commercial purposes. A surge in doctored pictures and videos circulating online has intensified her concerns, prompting swift legal action.
Advocate Confirms Legal Action: ‘An Assault on Her Dignity’
Shilpa’s petition has been filed by advocate Sana Raees Khan, who emphasised that the actor’s identity cannot be exploited without explicit consent.
Speaking to Hindustan Times, she said, “Ms. Shilpa Shetty has built her reputation over decades of work, and no entity can appropriate her name or likeness without consent. The unauthorised commercial exploitation of her identity is an outright assault on her dignity and hard-earned reputation. No individual or platform has the right to exploit her reputation for unlawful commercial gain, and we will ensure strict enforcement of her personality rights. We have moved the Bombay High Court to put a stop to such misuse and to safeguard her identity from being treated as a commodity."
A Growing Trend Among Celebrities
Shilpa joins a growing list of actors seeking legal protection amid the rising misuse of celebrity identities online. Stars including Aishwarya Rai, Abhishek Bachchan, Amitabh Bachchan, Karan Johar, Jaya Bachchan, Rishab Shetty, Hrithik Roshan, and Akkineni Nagarjuna have all recently approached courts for similar safeguards.
The Bombay High Court has passed several orders in recent months protecting celebrities from unauthorised use of their images, voice and name, signalling stronger judicial support for personality rights.
Understanding Personality Rights
Personality rights ensure that individuals can control how their identity—such as their face, name, voice or signature—is used publicly or commercially. These rights are divided into two key categories:
Right of Publicity, which guards against commercial misuse like unauthorised advertisements or endorsements.
Right to Privacy, which protects individuals from intrusive misuse, including deepfakes, morphed images, fabricated promotions and doctored intimate content.
With the rise of AI-generated visuals and digital impersonation, violations of these rights have become more frequent—making legal recourse essential for public figures.
Shilpa’s Move Highlights Urgent Need for Digital Safety
As online impersonation becomes more sophisticated, Shilpa Shetty’s petition adds to the growing call for stricter regulation and enforcement. Her case highlights the larger struggle celebrities face in protecting their digital identities from being twisted into misleading narratives or exploited for profit.
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