'Drishyam 3' actor Mohanlal moves Delhi HC for personality rights protection

Increasing misuse of identities in digital and AI-driven content has raised serious legal questions especially among movie stars. According to the latest news, Mohanlal has approached the Delhi High Court seeking protection of his personality rights.According to reports from Bar and Bench website, the matter is scheduled to be heard on Tuesday by Justice Jyoti Singh. Personality rights refer to an individual’s authority to control how their identity is used and these rights apply in both public and commercial contexts. They include protection over a person’s name, image, likeness, voice, and signature. Even distinctive expressions and catchphrases fall under this scope.The rights are broadly divided into two categories and the first one -The Right of Publicity prevents unauthorised commercial exploitation, such as in advertisements. The Right to Privacy safeguards individuals from intrusive uses. These include deepfakes, morphed visuals, and fabricated endorsements.Mohanlal’s plea comes as several high-profile personalities seek similar protection. Celebrities like Salman Khan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Karan Johar, Hrithik Roshan, Jaya Bachchan, Rishab Shetty, and Akkineni Nagarjuna have also approached courts.Earlier, actors Anil Kapoor and Amitabh Bachchan secured legal relief. Courts restricted the misuse of their identity across ads, merchandise, and AI-generated content. More recently, the Delhi High Court granted interim protection to Sonakshi Sinha.Amid the legal developments, Mohanlal’s upcoming film 'Drishyam 3' has been postponed. The film will now release on May 21, which coincides with the actor’s birthday. The makers confirmed the delay after reports of tensions in the Gulf region. The film was earlier scheduled to release on April 2.Sharing the update on social media, Mohanlal wrote, "The past never stays silent...it only waits. Georgekutty arrives, May 21st 2026. #Drishyam3 | Worldwide Release."Directed by Jeethu Joseph, the film marks the return of the iconic character Georgekutty.