Aishwarya Rai Bachchan: The AI Nightmare That Forced Aishwarya Rai Bachchan to Go to War

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan: In a landmark move that could set a crucial precedent for digital identity protection in the age of artificial intelligence, Bollywood superstar Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has taken a powerful stand against the dark side of technology. On September 9, 2025, the actress approached the Delhi High Court, initiating a legal battle to protect her fundamental personality and publicity rights from the rampant and unauthorized misuse of her name, image, and likeness across the internet.

Her petition seeks to force the removal of a tidal wave of content, including everything from unauthorized merchandise to deeply disturbing, digitally manipulated, and AI-generated fake images. In court, her lawyer, Senior Advocate Sandeep Sethi, presented damning evidence, including the alarming proliferation of fake, intimate, and “deeply offensive” AI-generated content circulating on various digital platforms. The court, presided over by Justice Tejas Karia, acknowledged the gravity of the situation, signaling its readiness to issue swift injunctions to curb the malicious misuse.

The Heart of the Petition: Beyond a Famous Face

Aishwarya Rai’s legal team laid bare the extent of the digital exploitation. They illustrated how her globally recognized face was being unlawfully monetized, with her pictures and likeness plastered across a vast array of merchandise without her consent. “Please see the second defendant,” advocate Sethi submitted to the court, pointing to platforms offering “Aishwarya Rai wallpapers, photos etc.” He continued, “The third defendant is a collection of T-shirts; her pictures on T-shirts are sold.”

But the case plunged into much darker territory with the submission of explicit, AI-generated images designed to resemble the actress. These were not mere doctored photos but sophisticated fakes created to be realistic, circulating online as deeply offensive and harmful content she never authorized. The court recognized the profound violation at play and indicated that an ad-interim injunction was necessary to halt the spread, particularly targeting the specific URL links flagged in the petition.

Not an Isolated Incident: A Rampant Digital Plague

Aishwarya Rai’s courageous lawsuit is not just a personal battle; it’s a critical confrontation with a growing technological pandemic that threatens everyone, from global celebrities to ordinary citizens. Her case shines a spotlight on the urgent need for legal frameworks to combat the menace of deepfakes and AI-generated identity theft.

This issue first exploded into the public consciousness in 2023 with a viral deepfake video falsely featuring actress Rashmika Mandanna. The seamlessly crafted video, which showed a woman resembling the actress in a lift, sent shockwaves through India. At the time, Aishwarya’s father-in-law, the legendary Amitabh Bachchan, expressed grave concern, stating it was a “strong case for legal action” and a dire warning of the technology’s potential for harm.

Since then, the problem has only escalated. Numerous manipulated videos and images of other top actresses, including Alia Bhatt, Kiara Advani, and Kajol, have surfaced online, proving that Aishwarya’s experience is part of a systemic and predatory pattern.

The threat extends beyond the realm of celebrity. Content creators are also being targeted. Earlier this year, creator Satshya Tharien was horrified to discover a deepfake video of herself, complete with a dubbed voiceover, being used to advertise products she had never endorsed and actively opposed.

This global crisis—where anyone’s face can be stolen and repurposed for malicious ends—has exposed a glaring loophole in cyber law. Legal experts have long warned that India, and the world, desperately needs stronger, more comprehensive legislation to tackle the complex challenges of digital impersonation and AI misuse. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s lawsuit may just be the catalyst that finally forces that change, drawing a definitive line in the sand in the fight to reclaim our digital identities.