Bollywood stars Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan have filed a landmark lawsuit against Google, urging Indian courts to take strong action against the use of artificial intelligence to create videos that they say infringe on their personality and intellectual property rights.

The high-profile legal challenge, detailed in court filings reviewed by Reuters, primarily targets Google’s video platform YouTube, where the couple claims deepfake and AI-generated content misuses their likenesses.

The actors are seeking not only the removal of such content but also the implementation of safeguards to prevent YouTube videos from being used to train third-party AI models.

The Bachchans argue that YouTube’s policies which allow content creators to opt in for AI training usage could fuel the proliferation of manipulated or defamatory content by enabling other platforms to train models on misleading videos.

Their nearly identical filings, dated September 6, state: “Such content being used to train AI models has the potential to multiply the instances of use of any infringing content.”

The case is being heard by the Delhi High Court, which has already taken preliminary action by ordering the removal of 518 specific links and posts that the actors claimed were harmful to their reputation and financial interests. A judge ruled that the content caused damage to their “dignity and goodwill.”

The legal action seeks $450,000 in damages from Google and other parties, along with a permanent injunction against the exploitation of their images and voices, particularly through AI and merchandise like posters, mugs, and fake autographs.

Among the examples cited in the filings are AI-generated videos depicting sexually explicit or fabricated scenarios, including one showing an AI-altered Abhishek kissing a co-actor, another where a jealous Abhishek watches Aishwarya dine with her former co-star Salman Khan, and even bizarre scenes involving crocodile chases.

India’s courts have begun recognizing “personality rights,” despite the lack of explicit legal protections like those in several U.S. states. Last year, a Delhi court barred misuse of actor Anil Kapoor’s name, face, voice, and even signature catchphrase. However, the Bachchans’ case marks the most prominent challenge yet in India’s growing debate over AI, celebrity rights, and digital content.

Legal experts say that while YouTube may not be directly liable since much of the content is uploaded by third-party users the platform could still be pressured to revise its policies. “It wouldn’t be beyond the pale for the court to nudge YouTube to set up special mechanisms or give priority to celebrities in handling such takedown requests,” said Eashan Ghosh, an intellectual property law professor at National Law University, Delhi.

India is YouTube’s largest market, with over 600 million users. The platform’s India head recently described it as “the new TV for India.” YouTube claims to have paid over $2.4 billion to Indian creators over the past three years.

However, creators have begun profiting from viral AI content involving celebrities. A channel named AI Bollywood Ishq, for example, has amassed 16.5 million views across 259 AI-generated videos most depicting fictional romantic scenes between famous stars. Its most viewed video, with over 4 million views, shows an AI recreation of Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai in a swimming pool.

The creators of such content remain largely anonymous. The AI Bollywood Ishq channel claims its videos are for “entertainment and creative storytelling” and demonstrates using tools like Grok AI (by X) and Hailuo AI (from China’s MiniMax) to create them.

Neither Google, the Bachchans, nor the creators of the channel responded to Reuters’ requests for comment. The next court hearing is scheduled for January 15, where Google’s legal team is expected to submit written responses.

As AI technology rapidly evolves, the case could set a precedent for digital rights in India—especially for celebrities navigating a world where their likeness can be replicated with a few clicks.