Renowned Bollywood actor Jackie Shroff has taken legal action against multiple entities in a bid to protect his persona from unauthorized exploitation. In a petition filed before the Delhi High Court, Shroff seeks to prevent the unauthorized use of his name, voice, image, and other attributes, including his iconic moniker ‘Bhidu,’ without his explicit consent.
Justice Sanjeev Narula presided over the initial hearing and issued summonses to the defendants. The court has scheduled further discussions for tomorrow, May 15, specifically to address the issue of interim injunction.
During the proceedings, Advocate Pravin Anand, representing Shroff, highlighted instances of offensive memes and illicit use of Shroff’s voice and images. Shockingly, it was revealed that some individuals had even created pornographic material using Shroff’s likeness.
Anand clarified that Shroff’s objective is not to stifle parody or satire but to seek protection against unauthorized merchandising and any defamatory or distorted portrayal of his persona. Shroff’s plea to the High Court emphasizes the importance of safeguarding his names, including Jackie Shroff, Jackie, Jaggu Dada, and Bhidu, and ensuring that his attributes are not exploited without his explicit permission across any platform.
Moreover, Shroff urged the Department of Technology and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) to take action against websites and links that violate his personality rights. He asserted that various social media platforms, stores, handles, and AI tools have been profiting from unauthorized use of his attributes, thereby tarnishing his reputation.
The lawsuit encompasses platforms such as Tenor and Giphy, along with AI platforms, alleging unauthorized exploitation of Shroff’s persona for commercial gains.
Shroff argued that any unauthorized use of his identity for business purposes not only violates publicity rights but also risks damaging his reputation, a phenomenon known as tarnishment.
The legal team representing Jackie Shroff includes Pravin Anand, Ameet Naik, Madhu Gadodia, Dhruv Anand, and Udita from Anand and Naik. With this legal action, Shroff asserts his rights to control and safeguard his identity, ensuring that his persona is not exploited for commercial gain without his explicit consent.
