Singer Kumar Sanu Gets Personality Rights Protection From Delhi High Court

Singer Kumar Sanu has been granted protection by the Delhi High Court to safeguard his personality and publicity rights. The court ordered the removal of content on social media that misused his name,

voice, likeness, and performances, aiming to prevent unauthorised commercial use and protect his public image.

The singer had filed the plea to secure comprehensive protection of his identity, including his name, voice, vocal style and technique, vocal arrangements and interpretations, mannerisms, images, photographs, caricatures, likeness, and signature. He also sought protection against unlicensed use that could create confusion, deception, or tarnish his reputation. The petition, filed through advocates Shikha Sachdeva and Sana Raees Khan, cited violations of his moral rights under the Copyright Act in relation to his performances.

The court noted Sanu’s concerns over several Facebook and Instagram profiles that shared objectionable GIFs, audio clips, and video recordings of his work. Although the 334 URLs he provided were no longer active, the singer argued that such misuse brought him disrepute and subjected him to “unsavoury humour.” The plea highlighted that the content generated revenue for third parties based on views and clicks, and that these acts amounted to false endorsements and passing off.

The petition by Kumar Sanu highlighted that several GIFs, videos, and AI-generated audios using Sanu’s likeness and voice have surfaced online, some portraying him in an unflattering or mocking manner. The singer contended that such actions not only tarnish his image but also infringe upon his creative ownership.

“Such merchandise and audios/videos of the plaintiff generate revenue for the defendants, as they are uploaded and streamed on social networking websites, including but not limited to Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, which generate revenue based on the number of clicks or views to a particular image/video,” the plea stated.

It further added, “Such acts also amount to an attempt at false endorsements and passing off and hence, must be restrained by an order of injunction by this court.”

Kumar Sanu’s case follows a growing trend of Indian celebrities seeking legal protection for their personality and publicity rights. Recently, actors including Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Hrithik Roshan, filmmaker Karan Johar, and Telugu star Akkineni Nagarjuna were also granted interim relief by the Delhi High Court, reflecting the increasing focus on safeguarding celebrity identity in the digital age.

Personality or publicity rights give individuals the authority to control how their identity is used commercially, covering elements such as name, image, voice, and likeness, and preventing exploitation or manipulation for profit. These rights are generally divided into two categories:

– Right of Publicity: Protects against unauthorized commercial use of a person’s identity.
– Right to Privacy: Safeguards personal dignity by preventing misuse through deepfakes, altered visuals, or fake endorsements.