Delhi High Court Grants Protection to Telugu Actor Vishnu Manchu’s Personality Rights Amidst Defamation Suit

In a significant order, the Delhi High Court has granted interim protection to renowned Telugu actor and producer Vishnu Manchu, safeguarding his personality rights against unauthorized exploitation. The order is part of an ongoing legal battle where Vishnu Manchu sought a permanent injunction to restrain defamation, copyright infringement, and the misuse of his persona for commercial and personal gain.

Justice Mini Pushkarna, presiding over the case, acknowledged the merit in Vishnu Manchu’s plea, stating, “The plaintiff has demonstrated a prima facie case for the grant of permanent injunction, and if an ex-parte interim injunction is not issued, the plaintiff would suffer irreparable harm.” The court emphasized that the balance of convenience favored Vishnu Manchu, leading to the issuance of several significant directions.

The ruling also reinforces Vishnu Manchu’s broader efforts to combat derogatory content targeting actors and their families on social media. As the President of the Movie Artists Association (MAA), Vishnu Manchu has actively led a campaign against malicious YouTube channels posting defamatory content about film personalities. So far, his initiatives have resulted in the removal of 75 such harmful YouTube links, marking a significant step towards a safer online environment for celebrities.

The court’s order comes at a crucial time, empowering Vishnu Manchu to take further action. The actor is now holding discussions with other prominent actors to pursue similar legal protections, aiming to put an end to the spread of defamatory content across social media platforms. This collective effort seeks to ensure that celebrities no longer have to tolerate defamatory content that invades their privacy, tarnishes their reputation and damages their personality rights.

The court’s order specifically prohibits:

•   The creation, publication, or dissemination of any defamatory content about Vishnu Manchu by the defendants (including unknown defendants), through any medium, including through use of new age technologies such as Artificial Intelligence today or in future. 
•   Unauthorized use of Vishnu Manchu’s name, voice, image, or any other exclusive attributes for commercial or personal gain.
•   Using/exploiting/misappropriating Vishnu Manchu's personality/ publicity rights that will lead to dilution and tarnishment of his rights

The Department of Telecommunications and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology have been instructed to suspend links and URLs that contain defamatory material. Additionally, defendants have been ordered to take down all infringing content within 48 hours, with YouTube being tasked to block or suspend any remaining content if compliance is not met.

Senior Lawyer and Managing Partner of leading law firm Anand and Anand, Shri. Pravin Anand, and assisted by Dhruv Anand representing Vishnu Manchu, emphasized the significance of this order in setting a crucial step for protecting the digital rights of public figures. With this important order, Vishnu Manchu’s commitment to safeguarding the dignity of artists continues to gain momentum.

This order not only serves as a legal victory for Vishnu Manchu but also represents a crucial step in curbing the rising trend of derogatory content on social media, sending a strong message that such exploitation will no longer be tolerated and appropriate legal measures will be taken against them.