Delhi HC restrains misuse of Tabu’s name, image; orders takedown of AI-generated obscene content

The court’s order comes on actor Tabu’s suit against several individuals and online platforms, alleging unauthorised exploitation of her personality rights, circulation of defamatory material, sale of merchandise using her photographs and dissemination of manipulated and AI-generated content

Updated - August 10, 2026 07:19 pm IST - New Delhi

Bollywood actress Tabu. | Photo Credit: PTI

The Delhi High Court has granted interim protection to actor Tabassum Jamal Hashmi, popularly known as Tabu, against the unauthorised use of her name, image, voice and other personality attributes, including through artificial intelligence, deepfakes and face-morphing technologies.

Justice Jyoti Singh, in an order passed on August 6, said the actor was likely to suffer irreparable harm if protection was not granted.

The court’s order came on Ms. Tabu’s suit against several individuals and online platforms, alleging unauthorised exploitation of her personality rights, circulation of defamatory material, sale of merchandise using her photographs and dissemination of manipulated and AI-generated content.

The court noted that Ms. Tabu “is a world-renowned, critically acclaimed and celebrated actress, who has left a mark in the film industry, both in India and internationally, with her stellar performances over three decades”.

“There is no gainsaying that Plaintiff’s name and moniker/stage name ‘Tabu’ and her image, voice, likeness and other attributes of her personality have acquired unique distinctiveness and are associated with her instantly by members of the public,” the court said.

“Plaintiff (Ms. Tabu) has a right to protect her personality rights and consequentially to restrain third parties from using, misappropriating and/or exploiting in any manner, without her consent and authorisation, the personality attributes,” the court added.

The actor in her plea said that she has come across AI-generated obscene images and videos designed to attract viewership through sensationalism and prurience. She said some of these videos, images and GIFs circulated online consist of manipulated and edited excerpts from her films, interviews and public appearances, which have been altered to depict the content in an obscene manner.

“Some of the movie scenes have been specially edited by zooming in and slowing down the frame rate to focus and highlight specific parts of intimate scenes to attract viewers and make unlawful gain, and in the bargain, Plaintiff is shown in a bad light,” her plea said.

The court restrained various defendants from using, exploiting or misappropriating Ms. Tabu’s personality or publicity rights without her consent. The restraint covers her name and stage name, voice recordings and duplications, signatures, images, photographs and movie stills.

It further directed Google, Meta, X, and Reddit to take down or disable specified URLs. The court also ordered GoDaddy to lock and suspend specified domains.

Published - August 10, 2026 07:18 pm IST

Hindi cinema / entertainment (general) / arts, culture and entertainment / judiciary (system of justice) / Artificial Intelligence

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