Shatrughan Sinha Seeks Bombay High Court Protection Against Misuse of Personality Rights

Bollywood legend and former Lok Sabha MP Shatrughan Sinha has filed a suit in the Bombay High Court to safeguard his personality rights, citing widespread unauthorized exploitation of his name, image, and iconic catchphrase “Khamosh!” from his films.

In the petition heard before Justice Sharmila Deshmukh, Sinha accused multiple parties, including major tech companies, e-commerce platforms, and unidentified “John Doe” defendants, of misusing his persona through deepfakes, pornographic content, and unauthorized merchandise. He invoked his fundamental right to privacy under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, along with performers’ rights under the Copyright Act, arguing that such alterations to his performances harm his reputation.

The suit highlights a rising concern among Indian celebrities over AI-generated content and digital misuse of their identities. Sinha’s case joins similar recent actions by stars such as Salman Khan, Ajay Devgn, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, and others, who have approached courts for injunctions against unauthorized commercial or derogatory uses of their likeness.

The Bombay High Court has reserved its order on Sinha’s application for an interim injunction, which seeks to restrain the defendants from further exploitation pending final resolution.

Sinha, famously known for his commanding screen presence and the dialogue “Khamosh!”, has long been a prominent figure in Hindi cinema and politics. This legal step underscores growing judicial recognition of personality and publicity rights in the digital era, where artificial intelligence and online platforms enable rapid, often harmful, impersonations.