In the case of Manchu Vishnu Vardhan Babu Alias Vishnu Manchu v. Arebumdum & Ors., the Delhi High Court granted an interim injunction in favor of Vishnu Manchu, a prominent actor, producer, and director in the Telugu film industry.
Vishnu Manchu’s Case
Vishnu Manchu filed the case seeking relief against various YouTube channels and content creators for unauthorized use of his name, image, voice, and other elements of his persona, claiming defamation, infringement of copyright, misappropriation of personality/publicity rights, passing off, and unfair competition. He alleged that the defendants were creating and disseminating videos that distorted his image, voice, and likeness, often using artificial intelligence to morph his face or superimpose it on other bodies. These videos, according to Vishnu Manchu, ridiculed him and violated his moral rights under Section 38B of the Copyright Act, 1957.
Additionally, Vishnu Manchu submitted that the defendants were using his persona to generate revenues by uploading defamatory content on YouTube and using affiliate marketing links for profit.
Vishnu Manchu further claimed that his reputation had been significantly harmed by content comparing him to animals, morphing his face in offensive contexts, and associating his name with pornographic material. Given his leadership in the film industry and his involvement with various educational institutions, Vishnu Manchu argued that this unauthorized content could damage his standing and cause him financial harm.
The Court’s Order
The Court, acknowledging Vishnu Manchu’s prima facie case, granted an ex-parte interim injunction. The defendants were restrained from publishing defamatory content or infringing on Vishnu Manchu’s personality and publicity rights by using his name, voice, image, or likeness without consent. Additionally, the Court ordered the removal of all infringing content within 48 hours, directing YouTube to block access if the defendants failed to comply. YouTube was further instructed to provide the plaintiff with the identities of the individuals behind the offending channels.
Citation: Manchu Vishnu Vardhan Babu Alias Vishnu Manchu v. Arebumdum & Ors., CS(COMM) 828/2024 (H.C. Delhi Oct. 1, 2024). Available at: http://indiankanoon.org/doc/115544225/, Visited on: 06/10/2024.
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