The Delhi High Court has directed Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan to appear personally before the court if he wishes to continue pursuing his personality rights case and a proposed settlement with the defendants remains incomplete. On October 9, 2026, Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav granted the parties time until November 16 to complete the settlement formalities. According to reports, the direction came after the court was informed that an amicable settlement had been reached with some defendants, but the agreement had not yet been formally signed due to logistical issues.
The case dates back to 2022, when Bachchan approached the Delhi High Court seeking protection against the alleged unauthorised commercial use of his name, photograph, voice and other aspects of his identity. The lawsuit reportedly raised concerns about mobile applications using his identity to promote lotteries by falsely associating them with his popular television quiz show Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC). It also sought action against businesses, including book publishers and T-shirt sellers, allegedly using his celebrity status without permission. In November 2022, the court granted an interim injunction protecting his personality and publicity rights.
The latest order does not mean that Bachchan has been found guilty of any wrongdoing. Instead, the court has given the parties additional time to formalise their settlement and clarified that the actor must personally attend the next hearing if the settlement fails or remains incomplete and he wishes to pursue the outstanding claims. The matter is scheduled for November 16, 2026, when the court can consider the status of the settlement and the further course of the proceedings. The development also highlights the growing importance of personality rights in India, particularly as celebrities seek legal protection against the unauthorised commercial use of their identities online.