Highlights
- Mohanlal approaches the Delhi High Court over alleged misuse of identity
- Plea to be heard by Justice Jyoti Singh amid rising AI-related concerns
- Move follows similar legal action by several top film personalities
- Drishyam 3 release shifted to May 21
Legal move amid AI misuse concerns
Actor Mohanlal has approached the Delhi High Court seeking protection of his personality rights, as concerns grow over unauthorised use of celebrity identities in digital and AI-generated content.
According to reports, the matter is scheduled to be heard by Justice Jyoti Singh. The plea comes at a time when deepfakes, morphed visuals and fabricated endorsements have become increasingly common, raising legal and ethical questions.
What personality rights cover
Personality rights allow individuals to control how their identity is used, both publicly and commercially. These rights extend to a person’s name, image, likeness, voice and signature, as well as distinctive expressions.
They are broadly divided into two areas:
- Right of publicity: prevents unauthorised commercial use, such as in advertisements
- Right to privacy: protects against intrusive or misleading uses, including AI-generated content
Growing legal trend among celebrities
Mohanlal joins a growing list of public figures seeking judicial protection. Actors including Salman Khan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Karan Johar, Hrithik Roshan, Jaya Bachchan, Rishab Shetty and Akkineni Nagarjuna have made similar moves.
Earlier, courts granted relief to Anil Kapoor and Amitabh Bachchan, restricting unauthorised use of their identities across advertisements, merchandise and AI-driven content. More recently, Sonakshi Sinha secured interim protection from the same court.
Drishyam 3 release postponed
Amid these developments, Drishyam 3 has been postponed and will now release on May 21, coinciding with Mohanlal’s birthday. The film was earlier slated for an April 2 release.
Sharing the update, the actor wrote on social media: “The past never stays silent… it only waits. Georgekutty arrives, May 21st 2026.”Directed by Jeethu Joseph, the film marks the return of the iconic character Georgekutty.
