Bollywood filmmaker Karan Johar has secured relief from the Delhi High Court in his personality rights case after seeking protection against the misuse
of his identity. Before approaching the court, Johar expressed concerns over websites and social media platforms selling merchandise, such as mugs and t-shirts or using his name, photograph, or likeness without his permission. He also raised issues regarding fake profiles, impersonation, domain name misuse, and derogatory memes that exploited his persona for commercial purposes.
Court Protects Karan Johar’s Name, Image, and Voice
In its latest order, the court ruled that Johar’s name, image, and voice are legally protected. Any future use on social media, merchandise, or by intermediaries without his explicit consent is now prohibited. Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora also suggested that the court may introduce mechanisms to enable quick take-downs of infringing content.
Karan Johar’s Legal Action Against Unauthorised Use
Earlier, Johar had requested the court to direct specific websites and platforms to stop selling merchandise, like mugs and t-shirts, featuring his name and image without authorisation. In his suit, he claimed that various entities had been exploiting his persona, likeness, and images for commercial gain without his consent. Representing Johar, Senior Advocate Rajshekhar Rao stated, “I have a right to ensure that no one unauthorisedly uses my persona, face or voice."
Meta Platforms Counters the Plea
Counsel for Meta Platforms, which owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, countered the plea by arguing that many of the comments cited by Johar were not defamatory. Advocate Varun Pathak warned that granting a blanket injunction could result in a surge of litigation. “These are ordinary people having comments and having discussions. Most of them are satire and jokes and not defamatory," he explained.
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Court Stresses Need for Specific Identification
Justice Arora pointed out the need to distinguish between disparaging content, memes, and commercial exploitation. “Not every fan page can be ordered to be blocked or taken down… Please specifically identify it, the Court will consider it. It cannot be every fan page," he remarked.
A Growing Trend Among Celebrities
Johar’s petition follows similar lawsuits filed by Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan, aimed at protecting celebrities’ personality rights in an era marked by deepfakes, viral content, and online commerce.
