The actor is empowered to issue an injunction for unauthorized use of his image, voice in gifs, deepfakes, and unauthorized merchandise
Indian actor Anil Kapoor secures a significant victory in a New Delhi court regarding unauthorized AI use of his image.
In the legal battle, Kapoor, renowned for his roles in numerous Bollywood hits and the Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire, obtained an interim order against 16 defendants. The court mandated that they are “restrained from in any manner utilizing Anil Kapoor’s name, likeness, image, voice, or any other aspect of his persona to create any merchandise, ringtones … either for monetary gain or otherwise.”
Kapoor expressed to Variety: “I think [the decision] is very progressive and great not only for me but for other actors also… Because of the way AI technology is evolving every day.
The court ruling arrives at a pivotal juncture in the conflict between the US writers and actors unions and the entities representing studios. A central issue in the dispute between Sag-Aftra and the studios revolves around the utilization of AI to generate perpetual profit from an actor’s image without approval or residuals.
Kapoor conveyed his support for the striking actors in the US, expressing hope that they would view his triumph as “great positive news.”
“I am always fully aligned with them in every aspect, and I believe their rights should be safeguarded because every actor, whether big or small, popular or not, has the right to protect themselves,” stated Kapoor.
In response to numerous distorted videos, gifs, and emojis featuring his likeness, along with concerns about the use of his catchphrase “jhakaas” from the 1985 film Yudh, meaning “awesome,” Anil Kapoor brought his case to India’s high court. All these aspects are now safeguarded by a court order.
“It’s not just for me,” Kapoor remarked. “Today, I’m here to protect myself, but in the future, when I’m not here, the family should have the right to protect my [personality] and benefit from it.
The ethical considerations surrounding the digital recreation of deceased actors gained attention with the posthumous appearance of the late actor Peter Cushing in 2017’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Cushing’s estate granted approval for the work that resurrected the actor on the big screen.
Actor Michael Douglas discussed the idea of licensing his name and likeness in a March interview with The Guardian, contemplating the shift of rights to his family rather than the metaverse.
He remarked, “It’s only a matter of time before you’ll be able to recreate any dead person at any age with the voice and the mannerisms, so I want to have some control.