Varun Dhawan has made a precautionary move to combat the deepfake threat.
The Student of the Year actor has obtained interim protection from the Delhi High Court against the misuse of his identity online on Saturday, May 30th.
According to Hindustan Times, Dhawan, 39, is among dozens of Bollywood celebrities who filed to safeguard their personality rights online.
Stars, who previously filed for legal protection, include Salman Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Anil Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma, Virat Kohli and others.
In a significant relief, the single-judge bench of Justice Jyoti Singh also instructed social media intermediaries to ensure that the actor’s name, image, and voice are not misused "in any form or manner whatsoever.:
The court’s order specifically addresses deepfake content created without the actor’s permission, along with unauthorised commercial exploitation linked to unidentified parties, referred to in legal terms as ‘John Doe’ defendants.
For those unaware, personality rights are becoming increasingly important due to the rise of AI-generated deepfakes, the booming creator economy, and the ease of digital identity theft.
This move allows individuals, from celebrities to everyday citizens, to protect their likeness, name, and voice from unauthorised commercial exploitation and malicious manipulation.
On the work front, Varun Dhawan is currently promoting his upcoming romantic film, Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai, which is directed by his father, David Dhawan.
The film is scheduled to be released in theatres on June 5th, 2026.
