Why stars are turning to courts for personality rights

The right to publicity, popularly known as personality rights, refers to an individual’s right to control the unauthorised use of their personality attributes

Not long ago, the idea that a person’s style, voice, or even a famous mannerism could need legal protection might have seemed far-fetched. But a wave of recent litigation by film figures including Amitabh Bachchan, Anil Kapoor, Jackie Shroff, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Karan Johar and Nagarjuna reflects a significant shift in legal discourse. These celebrities have pressed the Delhi high court to acknowledge and enforce personality rights, underscoring the growing recognition of identity as a valuable legal asset

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan filed suits for protection of their names, voices and other attributes. (Getty images)