Aaradhya Bachchan, the 13-year-old daughter of Bollywood actors Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai, has filed a defamation case against multiple media platforms over misleading content circulating on the internet about her.
The Delhi High Court has issued notices to Google, Bollywood Times, and other online platforms accused of spreading false reports regarding the minor. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for 17 March.
The legal action follows a previous ruling in April 2023, when the court ordered Google to remove deceptive videos that falsely claimed Aaradhya was critically ill or had passed away.
Justice C Hari Shankar then strongly condemned the circulation of such content, stating that spreading misinformation about a child is “entirely unacceptable in law” and that every child, regardless of their public status, deserves dignity and respect.
During the latest hearing, Justice Mini Pushkarna noted that several defendants—described as “vitiators and uploaders”—failed to appear in court, effectively forfeiting their right to present a defence. The matter has now been adjourned until the next session in March.
This is not the first instance where Aaradhya has been at the centre of such controversy. Previously, the court directed YouTube to take down over 20 videos falsely speculating about her health and ordered the platform to disclose the identities of those responsible for uploading them. The court also emphasised that all children, including those born into celebrity families, should be treated with dignity and not be subjected to unwarranted public scrutiny.
Aaradhya, born in 2011, is the only child of Abhishek and Aishwarya, and the granddaughter of Bollywood icons Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan.
Previously speculation about Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s relationship had been circulating for some time, gaining traction after the couple arrived separately at Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant’s wedding celebrations.
Adding to the rumours, Abhishek’s social media activity—particularly his engagement with a post discussing “grey divorces,” a term referring to separations later in life fueled further discussion. Despite the growing chatter, neither Abhishek nor Aishwarya has publicly addressed the status of their relationship, leaving fans and media to speculate.
A month ago, the couple made a rare joint appearance at a wedding reception in Mumbai over the weekend.
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