Bombay HC orders removal of Preity Zinta's deepfakes, morphed images; says their misuse ‘affects her fundamental rights’

The Bombay High Court has ordered a takedown of deepfakes and morphed images of actor Preity Zinta present online, slamming their misuse.

Actor Preity Zinta secured a major legal victory at the Bombay High Court on Wednesday, as the court ordered the removal of all deepfakes, morphed images, fake videos, and other unauthorised online content featuring her. The court held that the misuse of such content infringes on a person's fundamental rights.

Preity Zinta has secured a major legal victory concerning her personality rights.

Preity Zinta gets relief from Bombay HC

On Wednesday, a single-judge bench of Justice Madhav Jamdar not only gave relief to Preity but also reminded online platforms of their due diligence obligations under the Information Technology Rules. The court also raised the issue of intermediaries' role in tackling such content, as even their platforms were being misused.

“If the intermediaries start taking action, such type of offenders will stop. Otherwise, you are part of affecting fundamental rights of the citizens of this country,” the HC said. The court ordered the immediate takedown of all such unauthorised and fake images and videos of Preity uploaded on various platforms. The court held that a prima facie case had been made out and granted interim relief.

Preity Zinta's suit

Preity Zinta has moved the Bombay High Court seeking protection of her IP rights and removal of fake and malicious content featuring her. In her suit, the popular Bollywood actor had referred to videos, images, and chatbot-style interactions depicting her using deepfakes and other morphed visuals.

The actor's lawyer, Venkatesh Dhond, pointed to around 275 websites that contained AI-generated, morphed, or superimposed images and videos featuring the actor's likeness. He submitted that such material violated her personality, publicity and moral rights.

In its ruling on Preity's petition, the court agreed that she has been associated with the film industry for over 25 years and has built a valuable public identity through her career. The unauthorised use of her image, likeness and mannerisms in AI-generated content could damage her reputation and violate her rights, it said.

“The plaintiff's personality rights, publicity rights and moral rights are violated by creation of such morphed and superimposed content,” the court said. The court linked Preity's personality rights to her Right to Life and Personal Liberty, as well as to Freedom of Speech, both fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution under Articles 19 and 21, respectively.

Preity Zinta's comeback to Bollywood

Once one of Hindi cinema's most in-demand and highest-paid actors, Preity Zinta stepped back from acting full-time after her marriage. She has only appeared in four films since 2008, with her last full-length role being in the 2008 release, Bhaiaji Superhit. In 2026, Preity is making a comeback with the Sunny Deol-starrer Batwara 1947, directed by Rajkumar Santoshi. The film releases in theatres on August 14.