Bollywood actress pursues Rs 70 billion damages claim against AI platform over unauthorised image use

Bollywood.AI founder hits back as Urvashi Rautela pursues Rs 70 billion claim over AI interview row

Bollywood actress Urvashi Rautela has initiated legal proceedings against a Los Angeles-based artificial intelligence company, seeking damages assessed at Rs 7,000 crore (Rs 70 billion, approximately $700-800 million USD) over alleged unauthorised use of her name, images and videos.

The legal action, announced by Rautela's team on Tuesday via Instagram, targets Bollywood.AI following a viral interview that sparked controversy across social media. The statement issued by her representatives declared:

We are pursuing appropriate legal remedies, including damages currently being assessed at Rs 7,000 crore against the Los Angeles-based company. Build your AI company. Build your brand. But keep Urvashi's name out of your business unless you have permission.

The dispute centres on an interview Rautela gave to Bollywood.AI, in which she was asked about her views on Bollywood and artificial intelligence. Her response, which quickly went viral, stated:

Bollywood? I think artificial intelligence is something which is really, you know, which is like, you know, Bollywood is suffering with it. And I mean Bollywood is something which I love. So I love Bollywood.

Sheeraz Hasan, founder and CEO of both Bollywood.AI and Hollywood.AI, swiftly countered the legal threat through his own Instagram post, dismissing what he characterised as a Rs 7,000 crore claim. Hasan, a media strategist with over 25 years of experience who has worked with celebrities including Kim Kardashian, Paris Hilton, Zendaya and Logan Paul, directly addressed the actress:

Urvashi, we didn't put those words in your mouth. I highly recommend you educate yourself about artificial intelligence and the future of Bollywood's entertainment business before giving an answer.

In his response, Hasan articulated his vision for the entertainment industry's trajectory:

Bollywood.AI and Hollywood.AI are the future of entertainment: AI movies, vertical dramas and digital stars who never age, speak multiple languages, work 24/7 and have no egos. You can fight your answer, but you can't fight what's coming next embrace it: the evolution of the entertainment industry in Bollywood.

Legal framework and industry context

The damages claim represents an unusually high figure in Indian entertainment law. In India, publicity rights—the right to control commercial use of one's name, image and likeness—are not codified in standalone legislation but are recognised through court judgments under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, which protects the right to life and personal liberty, alongside common law principles.

Rautela, who was crowned Miss Diva - Miss Universe India 2015 and represented India at Miss Universe 2015, made her Bollywood debut in 2013 with Singh Saab the Great opposite Sunny Deol. Her established career in the entertainment industry underpins the significance she places on controlling her public image.

The controversy unfolds against a backdrop of rapid AI adoption across India's entertainment sector. Bollywood production companies have invested millions in AI studios to create digital avatars, AI-generated content and virtual performers capable of speaking multiple languages and working continuously. According to a Boston Consulting Group report from late 2025, 92 per cent of Indian employees extensively use AI tools, the highest rate in the Asia-Pacific region.

Growing trend of digital replicas

The Collective Artists Network in Bengaluru and other Indian studios are already using AI to create digital avatars of Bollywood celebrities and generating entertainment content drawn from Hindu mythology using motion-capture technology. Indian startups including MetaIntel.ai have created detailed 3D digital replicas of Bollywood actors such as Nawazuddin Siddiqui using volumetric capture technology, while Hyderabad startup Ikonz launched an AI avatar of cricket legend Sourav Ganguly in April 2025.

Unlike in the United States, where SAG-AFTRA agreements prohibit studios from digitally altering actors' performances or creating digital replicas without informed consent, India currently lacks similar comprehensive protections for performers regarding AI usage. However, Indian courts have established that use of celebrity names and images for purposes such as satire, parody, art, scholarship and news is protected under Article 19(1)(a) of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech and expression, and does not violate publicity rights.

The legal battle between Rautela and Hasan represents a test case for how Indian courts will navigate the intersection of celebrity image rights and emerging AI technologies in the entertainment industry.