Every Content Can't Be Disparaging: Delhi High Court Remarks In Arjun Kapoor's Personality Suit

Actor Arjun Kapoor has moved the Delhi High Court alleging widespread unauthorised commercial use of his likeness and circulation of “sexually explicit” deepfake content, with the court cautioning against overbroad restrictions that could stifle satire.

Hearing the matter, Justice Tushar Rao Gedela flagged the need to balance personality rights with free expression, observing: “A person who is in the public glare, a lot of things happen… We can understand certain things which will be derogatory, defamatory or disparaging. Everything can't come under that.”

Kapoor has arrayed 18 defendants, including individuals allegedly booking unauthorised appointments in his name, entities selling unlicensed merchandise, and platforms such as Google LLC and Meta.

The suit also includes unidentified “John Doe” parties accused of creating pornographic material using his likeness.

During the hearing, counsel for the actor argued that the material in question comprised “AI generated fake” content involving “morphing and superimposing,” including videos portraying Kapoor in demeaning scenarios.

“These are clearly AI generated fake… And they are not humour… That's something which is absolutely derogatory. Nobody would like that, not even a common man,” the court was told.

The Bench, however, repeatedly underscored limits on judicial intervention, warning that an expansive approach could undermine precedent such as DM Entertainment Pvt Ltd v Baby Gift House.

“Otherwise, the judgement… we are running it redundant,” Justice Gedela remarked while stressing that not all parody or satire can be restrained.

On behalf of intermediaries, counsel for Google sought exclusion from broad injunctions, particularly prayers that could place platforms in an “adjudication position” over what constitutes “substantially similar” content.

A mechanism was suggested allowing platforms to respond within 48 hours to takedown requests and communicate any reservations to the plaintiff.

The court also recorded submissions seeking disclosure of Basic Subscriber Information along with IP logs of alleged uploaders.

Justice Gedela noted the submissions and is likely to pass an ad-interim order in the matter. 

It is listed before the Joint Registrar on July 27, with the next hearing before the court on October 8, 2026.