Manoj Bajpayee seeks court protection for personality rights

Actor Manoj Bajpayee has filed a lawsuit in the Delhi High Court seeking legal protection against the alleged unauthorized commercial exploitation of his name, image, likeness, voice, and other personal attributes. The petition details various forms of alleged misuse, including merchandise, endorsements, AI-generated images, and voice cloning.

The suit, accessed by MediaNama, outlines a comprehensive list of elements Bajpayee claims are uniquely associated with him. These include his name, visual representation, voice, vocal characteristics, signature, gestures, and mannerisms. Bajpayee argues that these collectively form his commercial identity, requiring his explicit authorization for any commercial use. The petition asserts that unauthorized use can create a false impression of endorsement or affiliation.

Bajpayee is suing 13 defendants, encompassing companies selling merchandise, digital platforms, AI service providers, YouTube, and Amazon Seller Services. The actor seeks a permanent injunction to prevent the defendants from using or exploiting his persona without consent, specifically including applications involving AI, generative AI, machine learning, and deepfakes. The legal action also includes claims of copyright infringement, violation of performer's rights, and passing off.

The petition specifically addresses the use of AI and voice cloning technologies. It highlights platforms allegedly allowing the creation of AI images and voice clones that mimic Bajpayee's likeness and speech patterns. The actor contends that such technologies can generate content falsely depicting him in situations or making statements with which he has no association, thereby infringing upon his rights and potentially misleading the public. The case relies on extensive evidence including screenshots, product listings, and website printouts.