NEW DELHI : Actor Govinda drew a legal line around the public discussion of his personal and family life, issuing a public notice against the creation and circulation of what he describes as false, defamatory, malicious or unverified content. The notice came at a time when renewed attention has been focused on his marriage to Ssunita Ahuja, following the withdrawal of her divorce petition and a series of public comments about their relationship.
According to ANI, the notice warns individuals, media organisations, digital platforms and content creators against publishing, uploading, broadcasting or sharing material that allegedly misrepresents Govinda or his family. It states that civil and criminal proceedings may be initiated against those responsible, with damages of up to Rs 100 crore being sought.
Govinda’s legal team has also specifically flagged the use of photographs, videos, audio recordings, morphed images, deepfakes and other AI-generated or synthetic content. The notice states that no permission has been granted to create, manipulate or use the actor’s voice, photographs, identity, likeness or material concerning his private or family life through artificial intelligence or other digital technologies.
The notice further states that Govinda may pursue remedies under laws relating to defamation, privacy, identity misuse and cybercrime. It cites provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and the Information Technology Act, 2000.
According to the notice, the former MP may also seek other legal remedies against individuals allegedly responsible for circulating such material. These include court orders concerning bank accounts, restrictions relating to the purchase or sale of property, passport-related action and other measures available under law. Social media platforms and accounts allegedly involved in deliberately circulating misleading or false content have also been put on notice.
Why Govinda issued the notice
The legal move comes amid renewed public scrutiny of Govinda and Ssunita Ahuja’s marriage. On August 19, Govinda’s manager Shashi Sinha confirmed to India Today that Sunita had withdrawn her divorce petition from the Bandra Family Court. Sinha said the matter had been pending for two years.
“Sunita ji has withdrawn the divorce case against Govinda; there is no separation,” Sinha had said while confirming the development.
Sunita was seen at the Bandra Family Court with her son, Yashvardhan Ahuja, on August 19. When photographers asked her about the visit, she responded, “Birthday manane aaye hain (We came to celebrate birthday).”
The development came after months of public speculation about the couple’s marriage. Ssunita had previously filed a divorce petition against Govinda, and reports about their strained relationship had continued to circulate.
More recently, a conversation between Sunita and Rakhi Sawant drew fresh attention after Sunita claimed that she had withdrawn the divorce petition after learning that Govinda was planning to marry his Roopa co-actor Rani Swarnakar. That claim has not been corroborated. Govinda’s manager has denied that the actor is planning a second marriage.
Govinda had earlier responded to some of the public comments surrounding his marriage through a video message. He urged Ssunita to be cautious about statements that he believed could affect his reputation, career and standing in the film industry. He also spoke about returning to work and wanting to protect the goodwill he had built with audiences over the years.
Govinda is currently associated with Roopa, which features debutant Rani Swarnakar.
