The Delhi High Court judgement passing an omnibus order restraining infringement of personality rights of India’s biggest ever superstar Amitabh Bachchan is a landmark one indeed. It is pathbreaking because now, every public performer will be able to protect his/her personality rights which were earlier being exploited quite unscrupulously.  While the full judgement is yet to be deciphered by the legal experts, it could well be the proverbial opening of the Pandora’s box. The Intellectual Performing Rights Society has for the last few years shown the way by ensuring that royalties are paid by those using songs and music at weddings, events, stadia and so on. Now with this judgement on personality and public rights, the public performer can hope to get a share of any aspect of his personality/performance that is being monetised by others.

I faced injustice

My first experience very early in my career with how a name can be used without any liability on the user was in the matter of some bat makers using my name but deliberately misspelling it. So it would be spelled SunEil GavaskEr  autograph bat. Of course, the signature also was different.  Legally nothing could be done about it as the spelling of the name and surname and the signature was different and I was advised that it was a waste of time pursuing it as the sale of such bats was not going to be in thousands anyway.