The Delhi High Court has directed the removal of images of YouTuber and actor Bhuvan Bam that were used on various platforms without his permission. However, the court did not issue any immediate orders regarding the broader issue of safeguarding his personality rights. Justice Jyoti Singh stated that a conclusive decision on personality rights could not be made on the first day of the hearing. The court scheduled further proceedings for February to delve into the matter in detail.
Bam had filed a civil suit alleging the unauthorized use of his personality and publicity rights. He claimed that numerous entities and individuals had been exploiting his name, image, voice, and other aspects of his persona without proper authorization. The petitioner argued that such unauthorized exploitation violates registered trademarks, copyrights, and other intellectual property rights held by him and his company, BB Ki Vines.
The misuse of his identity for commercial purposes, according to the petitioner, has the potential to mislead the public and create confusion. Bam and BB Ki Vines emphasized that his persona has gained significant recognition and goodwill among the public. They stated that any unauthorized commercial exploitation of his persona diminishes this goodwill.
Bhuvan Bam is a well-known digital content creator in India, boasting over 26.6 million subscribers on YouTube and a substantial following on platforms like Instagram. Hailing from Vadodara, Gujarat, Bam introduced BB Ki Vines in 2015, featuring character-driven comedy sketches. His portrayal of various recurring characters in his videos, which are inspired by everyday life, quickly gained popularity among the youth and went viral online.
