Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has approached the Delhi High Court to seek protection of her personality rights, claiming that unauthorized websites have been using her name and image without permission.
The petition, which has been filed against aishwaryaworld.com and other violators, contends that the unauthorized exploitation of her persona is indicative of a broader trend of online fraud that takes advantage of celebrities’ identities.
The hearing has been postponed until January; however, the court is expected to issue interim injunctions against the infringers. Justice Tejas Karia indicated that a comprehensive written order would be provided to restrain the infringements and safeguard Rai’s rights.
“There are only 151 URLs that will be included in the order concerning your case… We will issue orders against each of the defendants due to the broad nature of the requests. However, we will grant injunctions individually,” Justice Karia stated.
Rai’s petition requests injunctions to prevent the website and other violators from operating, the removal of infringing URLs, and instructions to intermediaries like Google and YouTube to eliminate unlawful content.
Additionally, she sought permission to extend the order to include “John Doe” defendants—unknown parties that might host similar infringing material in the future.
The term ‘John Doe’ refers to a type of court order directed at unknown or unidentified individuals. In cases involving intellectual property and personality rights, it enables a celebrity, brand, or copyright holder to halt not only the known infringers but also any future or unidentified offenders who may exploit their name, image, or content.
Rai’s attorney, Sandeep Sethi, informed the court that aishwaryaworld.com inaccurately asserts that it is her “sole authorized and official website,” lacking proper authorization.
Sethi stated that the platform disseminated personal details, unauthorized images, and was even marketing merchandise such as T-shirts priced at ₹3,100 and mugs featuring her likeness, thereby creating a deceptive impression of endorsement.
Sethi further asserted that Rai’s image was being exploited in fraudulent activities, including a so-called “wealth fund” that utilized her photo on its letterhead and designated her as chairperson to solicit funds. Letters were reportedly distributed in her name to mislead third parties, despite her having no affiliation with the organization.
Rai’s senior counsel also highlighted altered and AI-generated pornographic material in which her likeness was superimposed. The court was presented with screenshots of fabricated chat messages and manipulated images depicting her in inappropriate manners.