The Delhi High Court on Friday deferred the hearing on actor Salman Khan’s plea seeking to restrain the filming, promotion, and release of the proposed film Kala Hiran: The Battle for Legacy. The matter was postponed after counsel representing the filmmakers sought additional time to file a response to the application. The case was heard by the vacation bench of Justice Madhu Jain, which has now listed the matter before the roster bench on July 1.
Salman Khan has approached the court alleging that the proposed film and its promotional material are based on incidents linked to him and unlawfully exploit his personality and publicity rights.
Salman Khan seeks interim relief
During the hearing, Senior Advocate Sandeep Sethi, appearing on behalf of Salman Khan, urged the court to grant interim protection against the film’s release and promotional activities. “He is producing a film on my life and tearing up the notice. He has no right to make a film of my life. I am seeking an interim injunction. The teaser has already been released,” Sethi submitted before the court.
According to Khan’s legal team, the actor’s consent was never obtained for the project despite alleged references to events associated with his life and legal history. The filmmakers’ counsel, however, requested time to place their response on record, stating that they had received a copy of the application only recently.
Dispute over alleged use of actor’s identity
Salman Khan’s plea centres on claims that Kala Hiran: The Battle for Legacy draws inspiration from the 1998 blackbuck hunting case, despite not explicitly naming the actor.
According to the application, promotional material released for the film contains visual and contextual references that make Khan identifiable to the public. The plea cites a poster released in May 2026 that allegedly depicts a character resembling the actor and wearing a bracelet similar to his well-known blue one.
The actor has also objected to promotional content that allegedly portrays the character carrying a firearm, arguing that such depictions create a misleading impression, particularly since he was acquitted in proceedings related to the Arms Act.
Concerns over pending legal matters
The application further argues that portions of the proposed film appear to be based on issues that are still pending before higher courts. According to Khan’s legal team, the dissemination of such material could potentially influence public perception and affect ongoing legal proceedings.
During the hearing, Sethi also argued that the respondents should not be permitted to continue using Salman Khan’s identity and public image for promotional purposes without authorization.
Filmmakers oppose interim injunction
The respondents opposed the grant of any interim relief.
During the proceedings, counsel representing the filmmakers informed the court that he had allegedly been receiving death threats and had filed an FIR in connection with the matter.
After hearing submissions from both sides, the court noted that counsel for the producer and director had only recently received the complete pleadings. It directed Salman Khan’s legal team to provide the full set of documents to the respondents during the day.
The respondents in the case include producer Amit Jani, Jani FireFox Films, director Bharat Shrinate, Akshay Pandey, and other individuals associated with the project.
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