Karan Johar Moves Delhi HC To Protect His Personality Rights

After similar actions by celebrities like Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan, filmmaker and television personality Karan Johar has approached the Delhi High Court on Monday to protect his personality rights.

The case, titled Karan Johar v. Ashok Kumar/John Doe & Ors, was heard today before Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora.

Allegations Of Misuse Of Name & Photos

Senior Advocate Rajshekhar Rao, appearing for Johar, alleged that his name and images were being misused to raise funds. He explained, “These are websites where my photos are downloaded. Various pages on various [social media] platforms are in my name.” He argued that Johar’s right over his image and identity was being exploited without consent.

Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, responded through Advocate Varun Pathak, arguing that many flagged comments were not defamatory. He cautioned against a blanket injunction, stating, “These are ordinary people having comments and having discussion. Now to drag them to Court for making an ordinary joke.” He warned that a broad order could lead to a surge in litigation.

Justice Arora agreed that not all fan pages can be targeted for removal. He told Rao, “Mr Rao, you have to look at two things, one is disparagement, which is different from memes. Memes are not necessarily disparaging. Then somebody is selling merchandise. Third is your domain name. Please specifically identify it, the Court will consider it. I think Mr Pathak is right, it cannot be every fan page. We can’t have an open-ended injunction.”

Johar’s Stand

Rao argued that Johar has the right to decide how his personality is represented online. “There is a line between making fun… The platform becomes responsible. The more the memes, the more viral it is, the more money you make… I have a right to ensure that nobody uses my persona, or my face, characteristics without my consent. The fact that I chose to look the other way does not give any carte blanche to others,” he asserted.

Possible Targeted Action Instead Of Blanket Ban

After hearing both sides, the court hinted at passing targeted takedown orders rather than a sweeping injunction. Justice Arora stated, “If they don’t, you come to court.” The Court indicated that Johar could report specific pages later, and platforms would be expected to act on such complaints.

The matter is scheduled to be heard again at 4 PM today.

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