Madras HC upholds Kamal Haasan’s personality rights

Actor and filmmaker Kamal Haasan recently approached the Madras High Court seeking legal protection against the unauthorised commercial use of his image, name, and likeness. The petition focused on the growing misuse of his personality for merchandising and the circulation of morphed images, which, according to the actor, have the potential to damage his reputation and public image. The court has now delivered its verdict, striking a balance between individual rights and creative freedom.

In its order, the High Court acknowledged that a strong prima facie case had been established in favour of Kamal Haasan. The court restrained the respondents from creating or circulating false or morphed images of the actor through any medium and barred the sale of merchandise featuring his name or image without his consent or endorsement until the next hearing. These measures aim to curb commercial exploitation and misrepresentation of the veteran actor’s personality.

At the same time, the court made it clear that its order would not impede permissible forms of creative expression. It explicitly stated that satire, caricature, and other legitimate creative depictions remain protected, recognising their role in public discourse and artistic freedom. This clarification has been widely welcomed, especially at a time when social media users frequently engage with public figures through humour, parody, and commentary.

As part of the proceedings, a ‘John Doe’ defendant was added to the case to cover unidentified offenders, and Kamal Haasan was directed to issue a public notice about the court order in both English and Tamil newspapers.

The ruling comes amid a growing trend of celebrities across India seeking protection of their personality rights. Observers believe the judgment sets an important precedent by safeguarding celebrities from misuse while continuing to encourage responsible and harmless creative expression.