In a significant legal move, actors Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan have filed a petition in Delhi High Court against YouTube and its parent company, Google. The couple is seeking ₹4 crore in damages, as detailed in their respective petitions. The core of their complaint revolves around unauthorized content on YouTube, including deepfake videos, misuse of their voices, and instances of misrepresentation. The petitions demand the removal of such content.
The petition further requests the court to order Google to prevent the use of manipulated content for training AI models and to take steps to mitigate these issues. Filed on September 6, the legal document emphasizes the potential for widespread infringement resulting from the use of this content in AI training. The argument is that the content is first uploaded to YouTube for public consumption and is then misused for AI training.
In addition to the concerns over deepfake videos, the lawsuit also addresses unauthorized merchandise, including posters, mugs, stickers, and counterfeit autographed photos sold by less-known vendors. The petition presents numerous YouTube video links and screenshots allegedly showcasing sexually suggestive or fabricated AI-generated content.
One example cited in the petition highlights an AI-generated video featuring Abhishek Bachchan in a kissing scene with another actress. Another video portrays Aishwarya Rai Bachchan with her ex-boyfriend Salman Khan, while Abhishek is shown appearing angry. The petition mentions the YouTube channel AI Bollywood Ishq, which is alleged to host over 259 videos of this nature, with 16.5 million views. One video showing Aishwarya and Salman together in a pool has garnered over 4 million views. The channel states that it creates its content only for entertainment and storytelling.
The Delhi High Court, during a hearing last month, directed Google’s legal counsel to file a response. The next hearing is scheduled for January 15, 2026. The court has ordered the removal of 518 links and posts identified by the actors, citing financial and reputational harm.