Asha Bhosle Granted Interim Relief Against AI Voice Cloning and Image Misuse

In a landmark ruling addressing the growing legal challenges posed by artificial intelligence, the Bombay High Court has granted ad-interim relief to veteran singer Asha Bhosle, restraining multiple platforms and individuals from unauthorisedly cloning her voice or commercially exploiting her image and likeness.

Justice Arif Doctor, presiding over the case, highlighted that the absence of the defendants despite being served notice “only lends support” to Bhosle’s claim that the conduct was "purely unauthorised and infringing" on her personality rights.

"In my prima facie view, making AI tools available to enable the conversion of any voice into that of a celebrity without his/her permission would constitute a violation of the celebrity’s personality rights," the judge observed. He further noted that such technological exploitation undermines a celebrity's ability to control their identity and prevents deceptive commercial uses.

The interim order specifically restrains platforms Mayk Inc (a virtual music studio), Covers AI (an AI-powered remix and video tool), and individual Harry Tiwari from infringing Bhosle’s personality rights or passing off their products and services as endorsed by her.

Other respondents named include Amazon Seller Services Private Limited, Flipkart Internet Private Limited, Google LLC, and an unidentified John Doe. The court directed these platforms to remove the identified infringing content and allowed Bhosle to notify them of additional material for removal, while giving respondents the opportunity to raise objections.

Representing Bhosle, advocates Ankit Lohia, Vikram Trivedi, and Rashid Boatwalla argued that her voice, image, signature, and name were being exploited for commercial and personal gain without consent, violating both her moral rights under Section 38-B of the Copyright Act, 1957 and broader personality rights.

Advocate Charu Shukla, appearing for Google LLC, stated that the specific links cited in the plaint would be taken down but required further instructions regarding the broader relief sought.

The court has scheduled the next hearing for October 13, 2025, as the case continues to set an important precedent in India regarding AI-driven exploitation of celebrity identity.

This ruling marks a significant step in protecting public figures from unauthorised AI-generated content and underscores the evolving intersection of technology, copyright, and personality rights in India.