Anil Kapoor credits initiation of protecting personality rights to Amitabh Bachchan

At the onset of the new year, Anil Kapoor briefly discussed the previous year's legal battle against AI's unauthorised use of his image. Speaking to CNN, Anil acknowledged Amitabh Bachchan as the pioneer amongst Bollywood celebrities in protecting their identities. Additionally, during the conversation, Anil called attention to the importance of his rights as an actor.

Anil Kapoor said, "You have to protect the bodywork, the kind of person you have, your family and yourself. I didn't take the lead. I think it was Amitabh Bachchan who took the lead in this. I took a step further. Obviously, there's a long way ahead and I'll keep on doing my best, fighting for my rights as a human being, actor, person, and citizen of this country India, as well as the entire planet."

The actor previously emerged victorious in a legal battle aimed at safeguarding his personality rights, encompassing aspects such as his name, voice, image, likeness, manner of speaking, gestures, and even his iconic 'jhakaas' catchphrase. The Delhi High Court issued a restraining order against any unauthorised use of these elements for commercial purposes.

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Justice Prathiba M Singh issued an ex-parte interim order against numerous websites and platforms in response to a lawsuit filed by the actor. The legal action accused these entities of engaging in unsanctioned exploitation of his personality and celebrity rights for commercial purposes.

Speaking about his demands, Anil Kapoor told Variety, "I think [the decision] is very progressive and great not only for me but for other actors also … Because of the way AI technology is evolving every day." He also said, "It's not only for me. Today I'm there to protect myself, but when I'm not there, my family should have the right to protect my [personality] and gain from it in the future." 

"It's only a matter of time before you'll be able to recreate any dead person at any age with the voice and the mannerisms, so I want to have some control," he explained.