Shatrughan Sinha has won a key legal victory to protect his personality rights. On February 16, the Bombay High Court ruled that his iconic dialogue “Khamosh”, which means silence is exclusively linked to him and cannot be used by others without his permission.
The order also bars the use of his name, photos, voice and other personal attributes in online content unless he has consented to it.
Shatrughan Sinha’s Personality Rights Protected
According to reports, Justice Sharmila Deshmukh, while passing the interim order on Shatrughan Sinha’s petition, said the expression “Khamosh”, delivered in his unique style, is associated only with him. The court noted this catchphrase isn’t just a random word but it has come to define a part of his screen persona over decades.
As per reports, the court said in its order that “It needs no reinforcement that the expression ‘Khamosh’ in his unique and distinct style is associated exclusively with the Plaintiff’s persona.”
Shatrughan Sinha Raises Concern Over AI Misuse
Reports say that, Shatrughan Sinha had approached the court through his lawyer, Advocate Hiren Kamod, seeking protection not just for the dialogue, but for misuse of his identity online which includes fake profiles, AI-generated content and endorsements made without his approval. The High Court agreed that such material prima facie infringes on his personality rights, public rights and privacy. It also noted how artificial intelligence and digital manipulation have made it easier to misuse celebrities’ images and voices for commercial or misleading content.
The court directed all websites and social platforms to take down existing infringing material immediately and debarred further unauthorised uploads. The matter will next be heard on March 30, giving both sides time to prepare more detailed submissions.
This ruling comes at a time when several public figures in India are increasingly turning to courts to safeguard their identity from misuse in the digital age.
