The Bombay High Court has directed the immediate takedown of AI-generated morphed images and videos of actor Shilpa Shetty, calling the content deeply disturbing and a serious violation of her rights.
The order came as the court heard Shetty’s plea seeking protection against the misuse of her identity and personality in manipulated digital material circulated online.
Justice Advait Sethna, who presided over the matter, examined the AI-generated content hosted on multiple websites and social media platforms and observed that the material was, on the face of it, objectionable. In its order, the court remarked that the images were “prima facie extremely disturbing” and underlined that “no personality, much less a person and or a woman can be portrayed in a fashion which affects her fundamental right to privacy and that too, without her knowledge and or consent”.
The court noted that such depictions were inappropriate, unacceptable, and capable of causing serious harm to Shetty’s image and reputation. Citing the “interest of justice”, the High Court directed all defendants involved to delete the identified URLs and remove the content from their platforms.
Shetty had approached the court alleging that artificial intelligence tools were misused to clone her voice, expressions, and mannerisms, resulting in morphed images, videos, books, and merchandise being circulated without her consent. Through her suit, she sought an injunction against websites hosting the content and an order restraining the unauthorised use of her name, image, or voice.
The court’s order comes at a time when Shetty and her husband, businessman Raj Kundra, are facing separate legal scrutiny. Earlier this year, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) registered a case against the couple in connection with an alleged Rs 60.4 crore fraud involving a Mumbai-based businessman. One unidentified individual has also been named in the case.
The complainant, Deepak Kothari, has alleged that he was cheated of more than Rs 60 crore through a loan-cum-investment arrangement linked to Best Deal TV Pvt Ltd, a company previously associated with Shetty and Kundra. According to the complaint, the investment was made between 2015 and 2023 for business expansion, but the funds were allegedly diverted for personal use. The EOW is currently investigating the matter.
Responding earlier to the allegations, Kundra had denied any wrongdoing and stated on X, “We categorically deny the baseless and motivated allegations being circulated. The issues raised are being given a criminal angle without any legal basis.” He further said, “A petition to quash the case has already been filed in the High Court and is pending. We have fully cooperated with the investigation and are confident that justice will be served. We have complete faith in law enforcement and the Indian judiciary. We respectfully ask the media to show restraint as the matter is still in court.”
On the professional front, Shetty was last seen in the 2023 Hindi dramedy Sukhee, where she played the lead role. The film did not perform well at the box office. She is next set to return to cinemas in 2026 with the Kannada pan-India film KD: The Devil, which also features Dhruva Sarja, Sanjay Dutt, Reeshma Nanaiah, Jisshu Sengupta, and Nora Fatehi.
