Karan Johar Moves Delhi High Court to Protect Personality Rights, Flags Misuse of His Name and Image Online
In yet another high-profile move to safeguard celebrity image and personality rights, filmmaker and television personality Karan Johar has approached the Delhi High Court, alleging that his name, photographs, and likeness are being misused on various websites and social media platforms to raise money and mislead the public.
The matter was heard on Monday in the case Karan Johar v. Ashok Kumar/John Doe & Ors, where Johar was represented by Senior Advocate Rajshekhar Rao.
Allegations of Misuse of Johar’s Persona
During the hearing, Rao argued that Johar’s identity was being exploited without his consent across multiple online platforms.
These are websites where my photos are downloaded. Various pages on various platforms are in my name,” Rao submitted, stressing that many of these pages were not merely fan-driven but were allegedly being used for fundraising and commercial gain.
He further asserted Johar’s “absolute right” over his persona — including his name, face, voice, and other identifying features — and contended that the unchecked spread of such misuse could harm both his reputation and commercial interests.
Platforms Push Back
Representing Meta Platforms, which owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, Advocate Varun Pathak cautioned against granting Johar’s plea for a blanket injunction. Pathak argued that many of the comments and memes highlighted in Johar’s petition were neither defamatory nor harmful.
These are ordinary people having comments and discussions. To drag them to Court for making an ordinary joke would open floodgates for litigation,” Pathak said.
Court’s Observations
Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora appeared to agree with the concern, noting that a balance had to be maintained. She remarked that while deliberate disparagement or unauthorized commercial exploitation could not be allowed, memes and fan pages in themselves are not necessarily defamatory.
“Mr Rao, you have to look at two things: one is disparagement, which is different from memes. Memes are not necessarily disparaging. Then somebody is selling merchandise.
Third is your domain name. Please specifically identify it, and the Court will consider it. I think Mr Pathak is right, it cannot be every fan page. We cannot have an open-ended injunction,” Justice Arora observed.
Johar’s Counterpoint
Rao, however, maintained that Johar had the right to control the use of his identity and decide whether or not to allow multiple fan pages.
There is a line between making fun and exploitation. The platform becomes responsible. The more the memes, the more viral they become, the more money is made.
I have a right to ensure that nobody uses my persona, face, or characteristics without my consent. Just because I chose to look the other way earlier does not mean others have carte blanche,” he argued.
Likely Outcome
After detailed submissions, the Court indicated that it may direct social media platforms to take down specific offending pages identified by Johar.
The Court also added that in the event new pages surface later, Johar could flag them directly to the platforms first, and if no action is taken, he would then be free to approach the Court again. I If they don’t act, you come to court,” Justice Arora remarked.
Broader Context: Celebrity Personality Rights in India
Johar’s case comes in the wake of similar legal actions by other celebrities. Notably, Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, and Abhishek Bachchan have previously approached the courts seeking protection of their personality and image rights to prevent misuse of their names, photographs, and voices in advertisements, merchandise, and online content.
This growing trend underscores the increasing recognition of personality rights as a form of intellectual property in India, as celebrities seek stronger safeguards against unauthorized commercial exploitation in the digital age.
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