Madras High Court Bars AI Deepfakes Using Kamal Haasan’s Image, Protects Personality Rights
The Madras High Court has granted interim protection to actor and Rajya Sabha MP Kamal Haasan, restraining unknown persons and online platforms from creating or commercially using morphed and AI-generated images based on his likeness.
Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy held that Haasan had established a strong prima facie case. The Court ordered that no false or manipulated images of the actor should be created or circulated through any medium until the next hearing. It also restrained the sale of merchandise using his name, image, or screen persona without his consent or endorsement.
At the same time, the Court made it clear that lawful creative freedom will remain protected. Caricature, satire, and other forms of permissible artistic expression are not barred by this order.
As the case was filed as a John Doe action against unknown infringers, the Court directed that the order be published in a widely circulated English daily to alert potential violators.
Senior Advocate Satish Parasaran, appearing for Haasan, submitted that unauthorised online activity was harming both the actor’s dignity and commercial interests. The misuse, he said, involved two main issues—unauthorised commercial exploitation through merchandise and the spread of harmful or disparaging AI-generated content on social media.
The Court was informed that many infringers were anonymous. Instead of naming individuals, specific URLs carrying the infringing content were placed on record. In some cases, individuals were identified where there was clear commercial gain from the misuse.
On the issue of deepfakes and morphed images, the counsel argued that such content placed Haasan in inappropriate contexts, diluted his personality rights, affected his endorsement value, and infringed moral rights. While non-commercial and genuine creative uses are generally allowed, the present case, it was argued, crossed those limits.
