'I would never do a film against Salman Khan': Govind Namdev on Kala Hiran as Salman Khan proceeds the case

Dubai: A new film based on the 1998 blackbuck poaching case is heading to court before it even reaches cinemas, with Salman Khan filing a legal plea seeking to stop its release.

The controversy erupted on June 12 when the makers of Kala Hiran unveiled the film's first look video, dedicated to Guru Jambheshwar Bhagwan and the Bishnoi community. The teaser features an actor portraying a character that bears a striking resemblance to Salman Khan, dressed in a black T-shirt and wearing a bracelet closely associated with the star. The character is depicted in a negative light throughout, while the film appears to position itself as a tribute to the Bishnoi community's decades-long fight for wildlife protection.

Through his legal counsel, Khan moved the Delhi High Court seeking a stay on the film's release, arguing that Kala Hiran violates a court order protecting his personality rights and is built on a false and misleading portrayal of him.

In his application, Khan contended that the film's poster, unveiled on May 29, contains a "blatant and obvious reference" to him. "The character depicted bears an uncanny resemblance to the plaintiff and is clearly seen wearing a bracelet that is immediately identifiable with the plaintiff and no one else," the plea states. "The poster and the proposed film are therefore spreading a false narrative, misleading the public and appearing to be completely contrary to the actual state of affairs and court records."

A vacation bench of Justice Neena Bansal Krishna issued notices to the film's producers and listed the matter for hearing on June 19. The court was informed that while a release date has not yet been announced, the trailer was released earlier this week.

Despite the teaser making it abundantly clear that the central character is modelled on Salman Khan, the makers included a disclaimer stating that all characters and events are entirely fictional and that any resemblance to real persons is purely coincidental. The disclaimer adds that while the film is inspired by the 1998 blackbuck poaching incident, several elements have been fictionalised for entertainment purposes.

Salman Khan's legal team has argued that the disclaimer does little to obscure what the film is actually about, pointing to the bracelet, the physical resemblance and the direct reference to the same poaching case that involved Khan as evidence that the character is anything but fictional.

Adding a significant twist to the controversy, veteran actor Govind Namdev, who appears in the film, has publicly distanced himself from the project, claiming he was misled about its nature and content.

"As soon as I watched the trailer, I was shaken to the core," Namdev told Amar Ujala. "I instantly understood that the project is completely different from what I had shot for. We were never told that a character resembling Salman Khan would be created and portrayed in this manner. The moment I saw the trailer, I felt I had been kept in the dark and used."

Namdev revealed that the film was originally presented to him under a different title entirely. "I was told we were making a film called Sambhal. At that time, I had absolutely no idea that the story would later take a completely different direction," he said. He added that he had only agreed to shoot courtroom scenes and was told the film would simply depict facts already on record. "I would never do a film against Salman Khan," he said plainly.

His public statement has added considerable weight to Khan's legal challenge, suggesting that even those involved in making the film were not fully aware of what it was setting out to do.

The Delhi High Court hearing is scheduled for June 19. The film does not yet have a confirmed release date, but with a court case now in motion and one of its own cast members speaking out against it, Kala Hiran faces significant obstacles before it can reach an audience.