Kangana Ranaut Moves Delhi High Court Over Misuse of Her Identity

Kangana Ranaut has approached the Delhi High Court to protect her personality and publicity rights, saying her identity is being misused across digital platforms without her permission. The actor and BJP MP is particularly aggrieved by pornographic and obscene content posted about her on social media, her counsel told the court.

Justice Vikas Mahajan issued summons in the suit and notice on Ranaut’s interim injunction application. The court asked her legal team to supply the names of the defendants against whom a takedown order is being sought, and to file a revised memo of parties after some defendants were removed. The matter is now listed for February 3, 2027.

Personality rights, in plain terms

Personality rights give a public figure control over how their name, image, voice and likeness are used. This case is not about criticism or fan edits; it is about explicit, obscene material and unauthorised use of a celebrity’s identity, which courts can restrain when it damages a person’s reputation or exploits their fame.

A growing line of stars in court

Ranaut is the latest public figure to seek protection. The Delhi High Court has recently handled similar requests from:

• Tabu, who secured an interim order to remove objectionable online content
• Arjun Kapoor, Allu Arjun, Nagarjuna, Varun Dhawan, Kajol, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan and Naga Chaitanya
• Karan Johar, Jubin Nautiyal and Raj Shamani
• Gautam Gambhir, Sunil Gavaskar, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and Shashi Tharoor

These disputes increasingly involve AI-generated impersonation, deepfakes, fake endorsements and unauthorised commercial exploitation of public figures. The court’s interim order in Tabu’s case signals that early action can lead to real takedowns.

For fans, the rise of deepfakes and AI-generated imitations means a viral image is no longer proof that a star participated. Court orders are becoming a way to separate genuine endorsements and appearances from manipulated content.

What happens now

The immediate next step is procedural: Ranaut’s team must file a revised memo of parties and identify the defendants clearly. The court indicated that an appropriate order on the interim injunction may follow once those details are on record.

For public figures facing similar misuse, the practical route is becoming clearer. Document offending URLs and account handles, name the platforms and defendants precisely when the court asks, and move early for an interim takedown rather than waiting for the content to spread. Creators, meanwhile, should not assume that a public image is free to reuse.

All eyes now turn to the February 3, 2027 hearing, which should show how quickly the court is willing to act when a celebrity’s identity is exploited at scale.

Source: Mid-day

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