Jackie Shroff Files Suit Against Unauthorized Use of Name, Image and “Bhidu”

New Delhi: Bollywood actor Jackie Shroff has filed a lawsuit in the Delhi High Court against several entities for the unauthorized commercial use of his name, image, voice, and signature nickname “Bhidu.” The lawsuit alleges trademark infringement and misuse of Shroff’s personality and publicity rights.

Shroff’s legal team is seeking to prevent the sale of merchandise, ringtones and wallpapers featuring the actor’s likeness without his consent. They are also targeting the circulation of “insulting” memes, GIFs and AI-generated content that exploit Shroff’s image for comedic or defamatory purposes.

Justice Sanjeev Narula has issued summons to the defendants and scheduled a further hearing for the case. Shroff’s counsel argues that the unauthorized use of his identity misleads consumers and leverages his marketability for commercial gain without his permission.

The lawsuit details instances of merchandise like mugs, signed posters and bags being sold online that infringe upon Shroff’s intellectual property rights. The legal team also presented evidence of derogatory memes, morphed images and voice-overs containing offensive language that damaged Shroff’s reputation.

Shroff’s counsel highlighted that some defendants have ceased the unauthorized use of his persona following the lawsuit. To strengthen their case, they referenced similar lawsuits filed by actors Amitabh Bachchan and Anil Kapoor, where the Delhi High Court ruled in favour of the celebrities’ right to control their public image.