Bombay HC Orders Immediate Takedown of “Shocking” AI Deepfakes of Shilpa Shetty

New Delhi, December 27, 2025: In a significant victory for digital privacy and “personality rights,” the Bombay High Court has ordered the immediate removal of AI-generated morphed images and videos of Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty. On Friday, December 26, 2025, the court described the content as “prima facie extremely disturbing and shocking,” marking a firm judicial stance against the rising tide of deepfake technology.

A “Blatant Violation” of Dignity

The order was passed by a vacation bench led by Justice Advait Sethna following an urgent petition filed by Shetty. The actress approached the court after discovering pornographic deepfake videos and images circulating on various social media platforms and websites.

Her legal counsel, Sana Raees Khan, argued that these AI-driven manipulations were created without consent and were designed to tarnish the actress’s hard-earned reputation. The court was presented with evidence showing that some of the offensive material had been uploaded just days prior to the hearing.

“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,” Justice Sethna observed.

Key Directives from the Court

The High Court issued several stern directions to curb the spread of the malicious content:

• Immediate Deletion: Social media platforms, AI-linked entities, and “John Doe” (unidentified) defendants must “forthwith” delete and pull down all infringing URLs, posts, and websites.
• Government Intervention: The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology have been directed to ensure the unlawful links are blocked across the internet.
• Protection of Rights: The court emphasized that while technology is a boon, it cannot be used as a “handle for misuse” to publicly maligned a woman’s dignity.

The Battle for Personality Rights

Beyond the immediate removal of the “abhorrent” deepfakes, Shilpa Shetty’s lawsuit seeks broader protection of her personality rights. This includes the unauthorized use of her name, voice, and mannerisms—which the petition alleges are being used by AI tools to sell merchandise and create fake endorsements.

The court noted that Shetty, a well-known film personality and fitness enthusiast, is particularly vulnerable to such digital malignment. While the broader legal questions regarding the Copyright Act and personality rights will be decided by a regular bench, the vacation court moved swiftly to protect her fundamental rights under Article 21 (Right to Life and Liberty).

A Growing Legal Precedent

This ruling follows similar protections recently granted to other celebrities like Suniel Shetty and Anil Kapoor, signaling that Indian courts are increasingly ready to treat “digital personhood” as a protected asset.

As AI technology becomes more sophisticated, legal experts suggest this order sets a vital precedent for both public figures and private citizens in the fight against identity theft and digital harassment.