The Delhi High Court has appointed advocate Gautam Bhatia as amicus curiae in a lawsuit concerning personality rights filed by Bollywood actress Janhvi Kapoor. The appointment follows the Court’s previous deliberations on the breadth of personality rights claims.
Advocate Gautam Bhatia’s Role
During a session presided over by Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani, Kapoor’s legal representatives explained that they have organized and categorized URLs identified as infringing, in compliance with the Court’s earlier directives. They requested the Court to review these categories promptly to issue an interim order.
Justice Bhambhani acknowledged the complexities involved in the case and stated, “Considering the issues involved, this court considers it appropriate to appoint advocate Gautam Bhatia as amicus to assist the court.”
Previous Court Orders and Concerns
On August 11, the High Court ordered the removal of online content related to Kapoor that was clearly pornographic, obscene, or lascivious, and which appeared to exploit her personality rights for commercial purposes. However, the Court refrained from issuing a blanket takedown of fan pages, citing potential repercussions on free speech. The Court also raised questions about the definition and limits of personality rights in the digital era, seeking legal assistance to clarify these issues.
The Scope of Janhvi Kapoor’s Suit
Kapoor’s lawsuit demands the removal of over 5,000 web pages and social media posts allegedly featuring pornographic AI-generated content, impersonations, and fake booking agencies that have monetized her persona without her consent. The case will be revisited for further consideration of Kapoor’s request for interim relief on September 22.
