🚨 Delhi HC Protects KJo from Fake Deepfakes & Misuse
- MediaFx
- Sep 20
- 2 min read
TL;DR: Delhi High Court gave filmmaker Karan Johar a legal shield against morphed pictures, AI deepfakes and misuse of his nickname “KJo.” The Court said no one can use his name, face, voice or image for profit or abusive content without permission. This is not just about Johar—it’s a warning to all who misuse celeb identities online.
Big update from Delhi High Court. Filmmaker Karan Johar, popularly known as KJo, approached the court against trolls and shady accounts that were using his photos, voice, and even AI-generated deepfakes. Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora ruled that Johar’s personality rights need protection.
What did the Court ban?
Misuse of Johar’s name
Use of his acronym “KJo”
His face, voice and likeness in AI deepfakes, GIFs or morphed images
Using his image for fundraising or money-making
Why did Johar go to court?
His lawyer, Rajshekhar Rao, told the court that several online accounts were misusing Johar’s identity to raise money and spread abusive videos. Some of these even had offensive language aimed at him. The court agreed this damaged his reputation and goodwill.
As a result, the court issued an ex parte ad interim injunction—temporary protection until a full trial.
What about satire and memes?
Meta (which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp) argued that not every joke or meme is defamatory. The judge agreed, saying harmless satire is fine. But abusive content or posts used to make money won’t be allowed.
Not the first case
Earlier, Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai also received similar court orders protecting their image rights. More celebrities are now turning to courts to fight the darker side of social media.
From the people’s side
It’s true that celebs need protection from deepfakes and online abuse. But the real issue is—ordinary people don’t get the same safeguards. When common citizens’ photos or voices are misused, it rarely makes headlines or gets quick justice. Equality in digital rights should apply to everyone, not just the powerful and famous.
The case will be heard again on February 19, 2026. Till then, KJo’s name and image remain under court protection.
