The Delhi High Court has directed the takedown of the teaser of the proposed movie Kala Hiran: The Battle For Legacy.’ The court told producer Amit Jani, “You can’t do this even to a common man. It cannot get worse than this even for a common man.”

The court added, “Either take them (the promotional material) off yourself, or I am going to direct you to do that with strong objections. Every minute it (the teaser) is in the public domain, it is harming the reputation of the plaintiff here. I was mild with you, but you are incorrigible.”

The film reportedly depicts Salman Khan and also portrays the 1998 alleged Black Buck poaching case pending against him.

Setting a 24-hour deadline, Justice Jyoti Singh stated she would order the removal of social media links to the teaser, along with interviews given by the producer regarding Khan and the film. She made it clear that if the producer fails to take down the material, the court will instruct major platforms, including YouTube and X, to step in and remove it.

The court was hearing a plea filed by Khan seeking the protection of his personality rights. The counsel for Jani argued that he had never claimed Khan acted in the film and had merely responded to questions during interviews. Jani maintained that the teaser neither names Khan nor uses deepfake or AI technology. He contended that there is no exclusive protection against depicting public events.

“This is only a teaser, how is his personality getting infringed by this?” he submitted. The court disagreed with the stand taken by the producer and said that this must stop. Justice Jyoti Singh said, “Reputation once lost is lost. You’re linking him (Salman Khan) with LB (Lawrence Bishnoi). I don’t want to name him.”

Chandrima Mitra and Parag Khandhar from Khan’s legal team tells us, “(An) order is awaited. The court said on Monday morning that the interviews given by Amit Jani, regarding this film and Salman Khan, and the teaser released as of now, which are available on various social media platforms, should be taken down within 24 hours.”

Khan’s lawyers argued, “There was nothing left to imagination. This movie is completely about me.” They told the court that Khan had been acquitted in three of the four cases and that the sentence in the remaining case had been suspended.

Justice Jyoti Singh told the lawyer representing the producer, “You seem to get emboldened by the fact that no order was passed last time. Your client thinks he is above the law. He is getting worse day by day... Every minute it is in the public domain, it is harming the reputation of the plaintiff (Salman Khan) here. I was mild with you, but you are incorrigible... You can’t do this even to a common man. It cannot get worse than this even for a common man.”

--------------------------------------

On Monday, the Delhi High Court, directed the removal of links related to the teaser of Kala Hiran: The Battle For Legacy, allegedly inspired by Salman Khan’s 1998 blackbuck poaching case. Justice Jyoti Singh also said she would order the removal of interviews by producer Amit Jani.

Salman Khan’s lawyer, advocate Parag Khandhar, says, “The Delhi HC directed Amit Jani to remove Kala Hiran movie teaser appearing on various social media platforms and certain interviews, the links of which are provided by Salman Khan in his application.”

The court has given the producer 24 hours to take down the content, failing which platforms like YouTube would have to act.

In his application filed in June, Salman alleged that the film’s promotional material infringes his personality rights, citing references to him, including a lookalike wearing his signature turquoise bracelet.

Responding to the legal notice, producer Amit Jani rejected the allegations, asserting that the film is based on material already available in the public domain and centres on the Bishnoi community’s efforts to protect wildlife.

The controversy surrounding Kala Hiran, a film reportedly inspired by the 1998 blackbuck poaching case linked to actor Salman Khan, has taken a new turn. Producer Amit Jani has now issued a legal notice to actor Govind Namdev after the latter publicly distanced himself from the project.

Announcing the move on X on Monday, Amit said in Hindi that a legal notice had been served to Govind, demanding a public apology within seven days and Rs. 50 lakh for damages allegedly caused to the production house’s reputation.

The development comes days after Govind, who shared screen space with Salman in Wanted (2009), expressed his disapproval of the film. “We were never told that a character resembling Salman would be created and portrayed in this manner. There is a world of difference between what I was told and what has been made,” he had told Amar Ujala. On being contacted, Govind said he is not in a frame of mind to talk at the moment.

While Salman’s name is not explicitly mentioned in Kala Hiran, the teaser features a character named Ayaan Khan, whom many viewers believe bears a resemblance to the actor.

Meanwhile, Salman moved the Delhi High Court On June 12 seeking a stay on the film’s release. In the plea, the actor argued that Kala Hiran appears to be based on allegations associated with him and violates an earlier court order protecting his personality rights.

Actor Salman Khan has approached the Delhi High Court seeking an immediate stay on the production, promotion and release of Kala Hiran: Battle for Legacy, alleging that the film violates his personality and publicity rights.

According to India Today, Salman has claimed that the film is inspired by the 1998 blackbuck poaching case involving him and that its posters, teaser and promotional material clearly identify the actor. He has alleged that the makers used a lookalike sporting his signature bracelet and referenced him to generate publicity for the project.

The petition names producer Amit Jani, Jani Firefox Films, Akshay Pandey and others. Salman has argued that the film could prejudice ongoing legal proceedings and cause irreparable damage to his reputation and goodwill.

The actor has sought an injunction against the film’s production, promotion, release, streaming and circulation of related content. The matter is expected to come up before the Delhi High Court shortly. The move comes weeks after Salman’s legal team sent a notice to the makers, alleging that the project is based on his ongoing blackbuck case. Responding to the notice earlier this month, producer Amit Jani denied the allegations, stating that the film is based on information available in the public domain and focuses on the Bishnoi community’s efforts to protect wildlife. 

--------------------------------------------------

The Bombay High Court observed on Thursday that social media does not give anyone the right to post defamatory content while hearing Salman’s appeal in his dispute with Panvel neighbour Ketan Kakkad. The court urged Kakkad to consider deleting posts against the actor and posted the matter for July 6.

--------------------------------------------------

In a separate development, the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) has stayed proceedings against Salman in a complaint linked to an allegedly misleading pan masala advertisement. The matter will next be heard on June 22.

Actor Salman Khan has sent a legal notice to the makers of Kala Hiran: The Battle For Legacy, a film widely perceived to draw inspiration from the actor’s 1998 blackbuck poaching case, a controversy that has remained in the spotlight over the years and resurfaced recently amid threats linked to the Bishnoi community.

The actor has sought a halt to the film’s release and demanded the immediate removal of its posters and promotional material. According to reports, the notice warns of further legal action if the demands are not complied with. The film is directed by Bharat S Shrinate and produced by Amit Jani. The makers unveiled the film’s first-look poster earlier this week.

On Tuesday, producer Amit Jani, reacting to the legal notice, maintained, “This is not a Salman Khan biopic. The film is based on a larger story involving the Bishnoi community, their struggle, and their deep connection with wildlife... I have not shown Salman Khan in a negative light, nor have I glorified Lawrence Bishnoi. The film presents what is already available in the public domain. Only the poster has been released. The teaser is yet to come. Sending a legal notice at this stage, without any discussion, was unnecessary,” he told India Today.

-----------------------------------------

Salman Khan’s legal team has sent a notice to the makers of a proposed film titled Kala Hiran, stating that the project could damage his reputation and interfere with the ongoing case before the Rajasthan High Court.

The notice states that Salman has never authorised the project and has no connection with those involved in making it: “Your actions falsely suggest a nexus or association with our client, when in fact, there exists none.”

The notice also mentions that the proposed film is defamatory because it allegedly portrays the actor in a negative light while the case is still pending before the Rajasthan High Court. It further states that these actions may amount to an offence under Section 356 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and that Salman reserves the right to initiate civil and criminal proceedings against those involved. The notice, addressed to casting director Akshay Pandey, demands that all work on the film be stopped immediately. It also seeks an unconditional written apology from those involved.

The film’s producer, Amit Jani, posted on social media that people associated with the Kala Hiran movie are being intimidated with the legal notice issued by Salman’s team, while the actor’s legal team refused to comment on the notice.

The notice states, “To our client’s shock and dismay, it has come to his attention that you are developing a cinematographic work, tentatively titled Kala Hiran, purportedly inspired by or based on the so-called ‘black buck incident’, associated with our client. It is understood that you have been approaching actors for acting in the proposed film while representing that its storyline is inspired by the said case, and that you have circulated materials pertaining to the film, including but not limited to the synopsis, character sketches, etc.”

Another issue raised in the notice concerns personality rights. The legal team argues that even if Salman’s name is not used directly, any character or storyline that points to him could amount to a violation of his rights.

The notice states, “The proposed film including its synopsis and character sketches, is clearly identifiable and referable to our client and events associated with our client. Any such depiction, whether direct or indirect of our client’s persona, identity, and/or events allegedly connected to our client, without his authorization or consent would amount to a violation of our client’s personality rights, right to privacy and right to publicity.”

Excerpts from Salman’s legal notice to the makers of Kala Hiran further reads, “The proposed film is defamatory in nature. The proposed film contains and is intended to convey false, misleading and derogatory imputations concerning our client, including insinuations of culpability in relation to the said case, which as mentioned hereinabove, remains sub-judice... You have deliberately sensationalized the said case, and it is evident that the same is an attempt to stir up controversy and make headlines to grab the attention of the general public, at the cost of our client’s goodwill and reputation. Our client further states that reputation and goodwill are inseparable elements of an actor and play a critical role in the life and business.”