Delhi HC questions scope of personality rights in Aaradhya case

The Delhi High Court has raised fundamental questions about the expanding concept of personality rights while hearing a 2023 suit filed by actor Abhishek Bachchan on behalf of his minor daughter, Aaradhya Bachchan. The case seeks to stop YouTube channels from publishing false content about the child’s health, including claims that she was seriously ill or had died.

Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani asked whether a family name's reputation can be inherited like a trademark and how far down generations such rights extend. Medianama reports the judge also questioned if 'egregiously despicable' fake news amounts to an intellectual property violation. The Times of India adds that the court had earlier restrained channels from spreading what it called 'morbid perversity' about a child.

The judge noted that passing-off law protects reputation beyond trademarks, and that the Bachchan family's name and images are being misused. No next hearing date was announced. The case is part of a growing trend of Indian celebrities, including Amitabh Bachchan, Jackie Shroff and Anil Kapoor, seeking court protection for their personality rights.