Amitabh Bachchan has secured a significant legal victory in his fight against the unauthorised commercial use of his identity. The Delhi High Court has permanently restrained multiple individuals and entities from using the actor’s name, image, voice, likeness or other distinctive aspects of his persona for commercial purposes without his permission.

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Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav passed the final decree in a commercial suit filed by the veteran actor in 2022. The case addressed the unauthorised exploitation of his identity across digital platforms and commercial products, including mobile applications, websites, posters and quiz books.

The latest order makes permanent an interim injunction granted by the court in November 2022. It reinforces the protection available to Bachchan under publicity and privacy rights, recognising that his identity cannot be commercially exploited without authorisation or used in a manner that falsely suggests his endorsement.

Delhi HC addresses settlements and unauthorised commercial use

The court's decision came after considering settlement agreements with some of the defendants and proceedings against others who failed to participate in the case.

Four defendants, including individuals associated with a fake video-call application, an unauthorised quiz book, merchandise posters and a domain name, entered into formal settlements. They agreed to surrender the infringing assets and refrain from using Bachchan's identity without permission in the future.

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The court also passed a decree against four other defendants who did not appear or file written statements. Invoking Order VIII Rule 10 of the Code of Civil Procedure, the court found that the matter did not require a full trial to establish the unauthorised commercial exploitation of the actor's identity.

Amitabh Bachchan's protection extends to anonymous online infringers

One of the significant aspects of the ruling is that its protection also covers unknown and anonymous entities that may attempt to exploit Bachchan's identity in the future.

Such directions are commonly associated with 'John Doe' or 'Ashok Kumar' orders, which allow legal protection to extend to unidentified individuals involved in infringement.

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The court has also given Bachchan the liberty to initiate fresh proceedings or seek enforcement against any new entity found misusing his name, image, voice or persona without authorisation.

The ruling marks another important development in the protection of personality and publicity rights in India, particularly as digital platforms create new avenues for impersonation, unauthorised merchandise and misleading commercial endorsements.