Esteemed playback singer Kumar Sanu has approached the Delhi High Court to secure legal safeguards for his personal and publicity rights, encompassing his name, voice, and unique singing style. The High Court will hear the singer’s plea on October 13.
Sanu’s petition, submitted by lawyers Shikha Sachdeva and Sana Raees Khan, requests the court to uphold his moral and creative rights under the Copyright Act. The core of the complaint lies in the unauthorized and unlicensed appropriation of his identity. This includes the exploitation of his name, voice, distinct vocal arrangements, signature singing technique, and visual likeness, such as images and photographs.
A significant point raised in the petition is the rampant use of his image and voice through GIFs, videos, and increasingly sophisticated AI-generated content. The singer laments that these deepfakes and replications are being used for profit and, disturbingly, for creating jokes or spreading misinformation. The petition explicitly states that these AI-produced audios, videos, and related merchandise are being monetized on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, generating revenue for those misusing his identity.
Kumar Sanu’s legal team describes these acts as deceptive practices, akin to false endorsements and passing off. Consequently, they are seeking a court-ordered injunction to prevent any further unauthorized use of his name and artistic output. The lawsuit underscores that the monetization of these unauthorized creations on social media platforms, based on views and engagement, is a direct infringement of his rights. This legal pursuit by Kumar Sanu echoes previous efforts by actors like Amitabh Bachchan and Anil Kapoor to protect their valuable publicity rights.