Shatrughan Sinha moves Bombay HC over unauthorised use of his dialogue 'Khamosh' and online image

Shatrughan Sinha moves Bombay HC over unauthorised use of his dialogue 'Khamosh' and online image

• Shatrughan Sinha requests court protection for personality rights
• He seeks to prevent misuse of his name, image, and "Khamosh" phrase.
• Major tech firms and ministries named in his legal plea

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Veteran actor and politician Shatrughan has approached the Bombay High Court seeking protection of his personality rights, citing unauthorised use of his name, image, persona and especially his iconic dialogue “Khamosh.” The 79-year-old star has sought an interim injunction restraining various websites and online platforms from using or modifying his performances without consent.

The matter was heard by single-judge Justice Sharmila Deshmukh and has been reserved for ad-interim orders. In his plea, filed through INDIALAW LLP, Shatrughan has argued that his distinctive style of dialogue delivery, particularly the manner in which he says “Khamosh,” has long been associated exclusively with him and forms an integral part of his public identity.

According to the petition, Shatrughan has enjoyed an illustrious career spanning over four decades in Indian cinema, earning awards, recognition and widespread goodwill. The plea highlights his commanding screen presence and unique on-screen persona, which earned him the popular nickname “Shotgun.” It states that over the years, his body of work has generated substantial recall value and commercial significance, strengthening his status as a cultural icon.

The suit alleges that certain unidentified parties have been distorting and mutilating video recordings of his performances to create and circulate GIFs and other modified content online. The plea contends that such unauthorised reproductions are prejudicial to his reputation, bring him into disrepute and violate his moral rights as a performer. It further states that he was neither informed nor did he grant consent for the creation and dissemination of such material.

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Shatrughan has argued that these actions are continuing in nature and are causing irreparable harm to his reputation, goodwill and commercial interests. The petition claims that the unauthorised use of his persona deprives him of control over the quality, authenticity and context of content bearing his identity.

In addition to seeking relief against unknown defendants through John Doe orders, Shatrughan has named several global technology companies, including Meta, X, Google, Amazon, Pinterest and Blogspot, along with certain local portals. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Department of Telecommunications have also been arrayed as parties.

Apart from his film career, the plea underlines Shatrughan’s long political journey. He entered politics in 1992 and has served as a Member of Parliament and Union Cabinet Minister, bridging the worlds of cinema and governance.