Delhi High Court Asked to Protect NTR Junior’s Personality Rights
Actor Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao, widely known as NTR Junior, approached the Delhi High Court on Monday seeking protection of his personality rights and alleging unauthorised use of his name and image across social media and e-commerce platforms. The matter was heard by Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, who directed the platforms concerned to treat the actor’s suit as a formal complaint under the Information Technology (Intermediaries Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.
The court instructed social media intermediaries and online marketplaces to take appropriate action within three days. It added that a formal order will be passed when the matter is taken up again on December 22.
Appearing for NTR Junior, senior advocate J. Sai Deepak argued that the actor’s personality rights were being infringed upon through the circulation and sale of unauthorised materials online. He requested the court to ensure protection similar to the relief recently granted to several Indian celebrities.
The actor’s petition follows a growing number of high-profile cases where public figures have sought legal safeguards against misuse of their identity. Earlier, the Delhi High Court asked individuals seeking removal of objectionable online content—as in Ajay Devgn’s case—to first approach the platform hosting the material.
In recent months, the court has granted interim protection of personality and publicity rights to several celebrities, including Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Hrithik Roshan, Karan Johar, Kumar Sanu, Akkineni Nagarjuna, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and journalist Sudhir Chaudhary.
Our Thoughts
NTR Junior’s petition reflects a larger shift in how Indian courts and public figures are addressing digital misuse of identity. With the rapid growth of social media and online marketplaces, celebrities increasingly face unauthorised use of their images, names and likeness for commercial gain or misleading content. The Delhi High Court’s direction to treat the actor’s plea as a complaint under the IT Rules reinforces the role of intermediaries in promptly responding to takedown requests.
The trend of granting interim protection to several prominent actors and public personalities highlights the judiciary’s focus on safeguarding individual rights in the digital age. As more cases emerge, the contours of personality rights in India are steadily evolving. For the entertainment industry, this could pave the way for clearer guidelines and stronger mechanisms to prevent online exploitation of celebrity identities.
