The Delhi High Court has appointed advocate Gautam Bhatia as amicus curiae in actor Janhvi Kapoor’s personality rights suit, as it examines wider questions around how far celebrities can seek protection of their name, image and likeness online, particularly where claims overlap with satire, defamation and free speech.
Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani made the appointment on September 3, as reported by LiveLaw. Advocate Rohan Alva has separately been appointed amicus in actor Vivek Oberoi’s personality rights case. An amicus curiae, or “friend of the court”, is an independent person appointed to assist the court with legal arguments or expertise in a case.
Kapoor had moved the Delhi High Court seeking protection against the unauthorised use of her personality, including allegedly pornographic and sexually vulgar material, impersonation and commercial exploitation of her name and likeness online.
At an earlier hearing, the court had declined to order a blanket takedown of all 6,884 URLs cited in her case, but directed the removal of 552 URLs containing material it found prima facie grossly sexually vulgar or pornographic. It also asked Kapoor to segregate the remaining URLs into three categories: sexually vulgar content, content directly monetising her personality rights, and content indirectly using her name or likeness to sell merchandise or services.
During Thursday’s hearing, Kapoor’s counsel told the court that the URLs had now been categorised and sought early consideration of her plea for interim relief.
{{/usCountry}}During Thursday’s hearing, Kapoor’s counsel told the court that the URLs had now been categorised and sought early consideration of her plea for interim relief.
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