Naga Chaitanya flags defamatory content accusing him of cheating on Samantha Ruth Prabhu

Actor Naga Chaitanya has approached the Delhi High Court seeking protection of his personality rights over alleged misuse of his identity online. The plea reportedly raises concerns around explicit search terms, AI generated content, deepfakes and defamatory material linked to his personal life.

According to reports, the matter was heard by Justice Jyoti Singh after Senior Advocate Vaibhav Gaggar, appearing for Chaitanya, argued that several websites were using the actor’s name alongside objectionable search keywords to increase online traffic.

The petition also flagged manipulated videos, pornographic content and unauthorised merchandise allegedly using Chaitanya’s image and likeness without consent.

As per ANI, the actor’s legal team informed the court that AI generated videos were falsely depicting him in inappropriate situations. Concerns were also raised regarding online content related to his former marriage with actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu.

Advocate Gaggar reportedly pointed out posts and videos suggesting that Chaitanya had cheated on Samantha and damaged her career. Calling the material defamatory, he argued before the court, “This is trolling, this is not fair criticism.”

The suit further claimed that advanced digital tools, including deepfake technology and voice cloning software, were being used to circulate fabricated audiovisual content for commercial benefit. According to the petition, the content had caused serious damage to the actor’s reputation, privacy and dignity.

The court was also shown YouTube links and online listings selling merchandise carrying the actor’s face and name. Chaitanya’s legal team argued that he is a prominent figure in the Telugu film industry and deserves protection against misuse of his identity.

During the hearing, the court observed that public figures naturally face greater public scrutiny, but there should be reasonable boundaries. “You are in public life, you are certainly more vulnerable than the rest of the people, but it has its limitations,” the judge remarked.

Reports also stated that the court described one of the disputed links as “borderline”. Chaitanya’s lawyer urged the court to consider a dynamic injunction as similar content continues surfacing online regularly.

The matter is now scheduled for further hearing on September 30. Naga Chaitanya and Samantha Ruth Prabhu married in 2017 and announced their separation in 2021.