Noted playback singer Kumar Sanu has moved the Delhi High Court seeking protection of his personality and publicity rights, including his name, voice, vocal style and technique, among others.
Mr. Sanu also sought protection against unauthorised and unlicensed use or commercial exploitation by third parties, which, he said, is likely to cause confusion or deception among the public and lead to dilution of his identity.
The suit also pertains to the alleged violation of Mr. Sanu’s moral rights in his performances, which are protected under the provisions of the Copyright Act.
The plea stated that various entities were violating his personality and publicity rights by using his name, voice, likeness and persona without permission. The singer is also aggrieved by the circulation of GIFs and audio or video recordings containing his performances and voice, which, according to him, bring disrepute and make him a subject of “unsavoury humour”, thereby infringing his moral rights.
Mr. Sanu further raised concern over the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to clone his voice, vocal style and technique, vocal arrangements and interpretations, as well as the morphing of his face for use in unauthorised content and merchandise.
