Salman Khan’s ‘Kala Hiran’ battle takes fresh legal turn as Delhi HC seeks actor’s response

Dubai: Bollywood actor Salman Khan has been asked by the Delhi High Court to respond after the producer of the proposed film Kala Hiran: The Battle for Legacy sought a stay on Khan’s proceedings against the movie.

Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani issued notice to Khan on Tuesday, October 6, after producer Amit Jani argued that the actor’s latest proceedings overlap with an earlier case already pending before the court.

Khan has sought to prevent the release and dissemination of Kala Hiran, which has been linked to the 1998 blackbuck case involving the actor. His legal action is part of a wider effort to protect his personality and publicity rights.

Jani has argued that Khan is seeking substantially similar relief in two separate proceedings, including restrictions on the film and its promotional material. The producer has therefore asked the court to stay the later proceedings until the earlier matter is decided.

The dispute escalated in July when the Delhi High Court ordered the removal of a teaser for the film and related posts from online platforms following Khan’s objections. The court had said the makers could not use the actor’s name, mannerisms or distinctive attributes for commercial gain without authorisation or publish material that could harm his reputation.

The filmmakers have maintained that Kala Hiran is not a biopic of Khan and have argued that personality rights cannot be invoked to prevent the depiction of public events related to the blackbuck controversy.

Khan, meanwhile, has accused the filmmakers of sensationalising the case and using it to attract publicity at the expense of his reputation.

The film is not currently ready for release and has not yet received certification from the censor board, according to submissions made by its makers in court. The trailer has also not been released.

Khan’s counsel will now file a response to the producer’s application. The matter has been listed for further hearing on December 16.

The latest order does not decide whether Kala Hiran can ultimately be released. It adds another legal layer to the continuing dispute between Khan and the film’s makers.

With inputs from Agencies