Shatrughan Sinha moves the Bombay High Court over personality rights.
Seeks a ban on the misuse of. “Khamosh” dialogue.
Claims ₹20 crore in celebrity rights case.
Veteran actor and Lok Sabha MP Shatrughan Sinha has moved the Bombay High Court seeking protection of his personality rights, including his iconic dialogue “Khamosh”. The court has reserved its order on his request for interim relief.
Shatrughan Sinha Bombay High Court plea over personality rights
The matter was heard by Justice Sharmila Deshmukh, who is examining Sinha’s plea for temporary protection against alleged unauthorised use of his name, likeness, voice and mannerisms across online platforms and commercial channels. In his petition, the actor argues that his public persona, built over decades in cinema and politics, carries significant goodwill and commercial value.
Alleged misuse of name, image and dialogue ‘Khamosh’
According to the plea, several unidentified individuals and digital platforms have created fake social media accounts, circulated morphed video clips, published caricatures and sold merchandise featuring his image and the catchphrase “Khamosh”. Sinha contends that these actions mislead the public and dilute his brand identity.
The suit, filed through his son Luv Sinha, names John Doe parties along with technology intermediaries including Meta, X and Google, apart from certain e-commerce platforms, bloggers and government departments. The proceedings were initiated through IndiaLaw LLP.
Invoking his right to privacy under Article 21 of the Constitution and performers’ rights under the Copyright Act, Sinha has argued that his performances are being altered in ways that harm his reputation. He has sought a temporary injunction restraining the defendants from using his persona during the pendency of the case and preventing the sale of unauthorised merchandise.
Damages claim and wider celebrity personality rights trend
Beyond interim relief, Sinha has requested a permanent injunction against any commercial exploitation of his name, voice, mannerisms and dialogue without consent. He has claimed damages of ₹20 crore or, alternatively, a direction to hand over profits earned from the alleged misuse.
Sinha now joins other public figures such as Amitabh Bachchan and Anil Kapoor who have sought judicial protection over their personality rights in recent years. The court’s decision on interim relief in this Bombay High Court personality rights case is awaited.
