In a significant legal move, veteran Indian actor Kamal Haasan has taken a stand to legally safeguard his public identity and image from unauthorised commercial exploitation. The 71-year-old cinematic icon, renowned as 'Ulaganayagan', has filed a lawsuit in the Madras High Court, marking a pivotal moment in the ongoing discourse around celebrity rights in the digital age.
Legal Battle for Identity: The John Doe Suit
According to reports, Kamal Haasan has initiated a John Doe lawsuit before the Madras High Court. This type of legal action is typically filed against unnamed defendants to prevent future infringements. The suit specifically aims to stop the unlawful use of the actor's name, initials, portrait, images, titles like 'Ulaganayagan', and even famous film dialogues without obtaining his prior permission.
The case, which includes interim injunction applications, has been assigned to Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy and is scheduled for a hearing on 12 January 2026. In his plea, Haasan underscored his decades-long artistic journey, beginning in childhood, and emphasised that his public persona is the culmination of years of dedicated work across various artistic disciplines.
Alleged Misuse and Immediate Concerns
The legal action was reportedly prompted by specific instances of misuse. The actor cited an example involving a Chennai-based firm that was allegedly selling clothing items adorned with his portraits, name, initials, and iconic dialogues. Haasan contends that such acts constitute a direct infringement of his personality rights, arguing that no individual or institution should be allowed to exploit his identity for financial gain.
Seeking immediate relief, the actor has filed interim injunction applications requesting an urgent ban on the manufacture, sale, and distribution of the disputed products. As part of his submission, he has reportedly provided the court with a sample of the controversial merchandise to substantiate his claims.
The Growing Threat of AI and Digital Exploitation
Beyond the immediate case of physical merchandise, Kamal Haasan's plea highlights a broader, modern concern. The actor has expressed serious apprehensions about the indiscriminate use of contemporary technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI). He fears that unchecked use of such technology could lead to a rampant proliferation of identity theft, making it easier to create deepfakes or unauthorised digital representations for commercial or malicious purposes.
This legal step places Kamal Haasan alongside other Indian celebrities like Aishwarya Rai, Karan Johar, and Nagarjuna Akkineni, who have also sought judicial intervention to protect their personality rights. His action underscores the increasing need for legal frameworks to evolve in tandem with technology to protect an individual's hard-earned reputation and image.
On the professional front, the actor is gearing up to begin filming his next project, tentatively titled 'KH 237', which will be directed by the stunt duo Anbarivu, popularly known as the Stunt brothers.
