The Delhi High Court framed key legal questions on the protection of Aaradhya Bachchan’s reputation against allegedly false and misleading content circulated online, including whether the reputation attached to a famous family name can extend across generations.
The Bench of Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani questioned whether a family name carrying reputation akin to a trademark can enjoy such protection across generations and, if so, how far. The Court framed three broad questions: whether fake news can constitute an intellectual property (IP) violation and, if so, what type; whether defamation can be treated as an IP right; and how far the reputation attached to a family name extends across generations.
Aaradhya, through her father Abhishek Bachchan, filed the suit in 2023 against several YouTube channels and unknown defendants over allegedly defamatory content concerning her health and private life. Some videos reportedly claimed that she was seriously ill, hospitalised and even that she had died.
In April 2023, the High Court restrained the defendants from publishing material concerning Aaradhya’s health. Justice C Hari Shankar had then observed that every child, whether a celebrity’s child or otherwise, is entitled to dignity and respect.
Raising concerns about the expanding interpretation of personality rights during Thursday’s hearing, Justice Bhambhani questioned where the line should be drawn and who genuinely holds these rights.
Advocate Pravin Anand, appearing for Aaradhya, submitted that the entire Bachchan family’s reputation was involved and argued that passing-off law could protect reputation beyond conventional trademark rights.
The matter will next be heard on September 15.
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