Jackie Shroff files lawsuit in Delhi High Court to protect personal and publicity rights!

Jackie Shroff, a Bollywood actor, is suing to defend his rights to his name and likeness. He sued multiple parties at the Delhi High Court for using his voice, image, name, and even his well-known phrase "Bhidu" without his consent.

 

Judge Sanjeev Narula heard the case today, May 14, 2024, and issued summonses to the defendants listed in the lawsuit. The court is scheduled to discuss giving a temporary order tomorrow.

 

The lawsuit claimed that people and organizations are using his name, likeness, and voice for financial advantage, according to Live Law. Advocate Pravin Anand, Shroff's attorney, noted that Shroff's rights to his own identity and notoriety are being infringed by this unapproved use. Anand used earlier court rulings involving other celebrities, such as Amitabh Bachchan and Anil Kapoor, to bolster their argument.

 

Anand further revealed that one defendant maintained a restaurant under the trademark "Bhidu," which belongs to Shroff. Some defendants consented to stop using Shroff's voice and images in their products after receiving a warning. Anand suggested that anyone who were informed in advance but still failed to appear in court should be held legally liable.

 

Anand stressed the need for consent before using someone else's personality rights, comparing such misuse to exploitation. He cited cases in which defendants had used Jackie Shroff's likenesses on a range of goods—such as T-shirts, posters, mugs, and more—without the actor's consent.

 

He emphasized that such actions violate well-established legal norms, citing Anil Kapoor's case as a precedent. Anand feels that in this instance as well, the court's prior emphasis on the need of providing advance notice in counterfeit cases is crucial.