On September 30, Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani of the Delhi High Court questioned the scope of personality rights held by Aaradhya Bachchan, granddaughter of Amitabh Bachchan, in a case involving false YouTube videos claiming she was seriously ill or deceased, according to medianama.com. The court is considering whether such fake news can be addressed under intellectual property law rather than defamation.
The case was filed by Abhishek Bachchan on behalf of Aaradhya in 2023. During proceedings, Advocate Pravin Anand argued that the uploaders exploited the Bachchan family name to attract viewers, referencing a precedent where the court extended protection to a celebrity’s family. Justice Bhambhani compared Aaradhya’s situation to that of an ordinary person falsely reported to have cancer, raising questions about the inheritance of family name reputation across generations.
The Delhi High Court selected Aaradhya’s case as one of three to help define the legal boundaries of personality rights. This approach aims to establish principles that can be applied to other pending cases involving similar issues. The court noted that orders based on personality rights have provided faster relief than defamation suits, including actions against unknown uploaders and protection against future harmful content.
The court’s ruling on this matter will clarify the extent to which personality rights protect family members of celebrities and could influence how online falsehoods are legally addressed. The case is part of a broader effort to balance intellectual property protections with freedom of expression in digital media, as reported by medianama.com.