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Delhi High Court Postpones Hearing in Salman Khan Personality-Rights Case Over Film "Kala Hiran: The Battle for Legacy"
The Delhi High Court has pushed back the showdown over Salman Khan’s alleged personality‑rights breach, deferring the hearing of a petition that seeks to halt the production, promotion and release of Kala Hiran: The Battle for Legacy.
The postponement follows a request from the filmmakers’ counsel for a brief extension to file a response. The case, initially heard by the vacation bench of Justice Madhu Jain, will now be heard by a roster‑bench on 1 July.
Khan’s petition argues that the film and its promotional material are based on incidents tied to him and that they unlawfully exploit his personality and publicity rights. His legal team claims that no consent was obtained for the project, even though the storyline and imagery reference events in Khan’s legal history, including the 1998 blackbuck hunting case.
The filmmakers—represented by producer Amit Jani of Jani FireFox Films, director Bharat Shrinate and actor Akshay Pandey—deny that the film is based on Khan or that it uses his likeness. They maintain that the narrative is a fictional account and that any resemblance is purely coincidental.
During the hearing, Senior Advocate Sandeep Sethi, appearing for Khan, urged the court to grant interim protection against the film’s release and promotional activities. He pointed out that a teaser had already been released and that the actor’s name and image were used without permission. The petition cites a May 2026 poster depicting a character resembling Khan and wearing a bracelet similar to the actor’s well‑known blue one, and it objects to promotional content that portrays the character carrying a firearm—an image that could mislead the public given Khan’s acquittal in the Arms Act case.
Khan’s team also contends that portions of the proposed film appear to be based on issues still pending before higher courts, and that disseminating such material could influence public perception and affect ongoing legal proceedings. The petition therefore seeks to restrain the filmmakers from using Khan’s identity and public image for promotional purposes without authorization.
The filmmakers opposed any interim relief. Their counsel noted that they had received death threats and had filed an FIR related to the matter. After hearing submissions from both sides, the court observed that the respondents’ counsel had only recently received the complete pleadings and directed Khan’s legal team to provide the full set of documents to the respondents on the same day.
The case is now scheduled before the roster bench for 1 July, where the court will decide whether to grant the interim injunction sought by Khan. The outcome will determine whether the film can proceed with its current promotional strategy and whether the production can move forward with a release date, and it will also have implications for the broader debate over personality rights in the Indian film industry.
In short, the Delhi High Court has postponed the hearing in Salman Khan’s personality‑rights petition concerning Kala Hiran: The Battle for Legacy. The case centers on allegations that the film exploits Khan’s identity without consent and that its promotional material could mislead the public about his legal matters. The filmmakers have denied the claims and have expressed concerns about threats and legal challenges. The court’s next hearing on 1 July will determine whether an interim injunction will be granted, potentially affecting the film’s release schedule and marketing plans.
The postponement follows a request from the filmmakers’ counsel for a brief extension to file a response. The case, initially heard by the vacation bench of Justice Madhu Jain, will now be heard by a roster‑bench on 1 July.
Khan’s petition argues that the film and its promotional material are based on incidents tied to him and that they unlawfully exploit his personality and publicity rights. His legal team claims that no consent was obtained for the project, even though the storyline and imagery reference events in Khan’s legal history, including the 1998 blackbuck hunting case.
The filmmakers—represented by producer Amit Jani of Jani FireFox Films, director Bharat Shrinate and actor Akshay Pandey—deny that the film is based on Khan or that it uses his likeness. They maintain that the narrative is a fictional account and that any resemblance is purely coincidental.
During the hearing, Senior Advocate Sandeep Sethi, appearing for Khan, urged the court to grant interim protection against the film’s release and promotional activities. He pointed out that a teaser had already been released and that the actor’s name and image were used without permission. The petition cites a May 2026 poster depicting a character resembling Khan and wearing a bracelet similar to the actor’s well‑known blue one, and it objects to promotional content that portrays the character carrying a firearm—an image that could mislead the public given Khan’s acquittal in the Arms Act case.
Khan’s team also contends that portions of the proposed film appear to be based on issues still pending before higher courts, and that disseminating such material could influence public perception and affect ongoing legal proceedings. The petition therefore seeks to restrain the filmmakers from using Khan’s identity and public image for promotional purposes without authorization.
The filmmakers opposed any interim relief. Their counsel noted that they had received death threats and had filed an FIR related to the matter. After hearing submissions from both sides, the court observed that the respondents’ counsel had only recently received the complete pleadings and directed Khan’s legal team to provide the full set of documents to the respondents on the same day.
The case is now scheduled before the roster bench for 1 July, where the court will decide whether to grant the interim injunction sought by Khan. The outcome will determine whether the film can proceed with its current promotional strategy and whether the production can move forward with a release date, and it will also have implications for the broader debate over personality rights in the Indian film industry.
In short, the Delhi High Court has postponed the hearing in Salman Khan’s personality‑rights petition concerning Kala Hiran: The Battle for Legacy. The case centers on allegations that the film exploits Khan’s identity without consent and that its promotional material could mislead the public about his legal matters. The filmmakers have denied the claims and have expressed concerns about threats and legal challenges. The court’s next hearing on 1 July will determine whether an interim injunction will be granted, potentially affecting the film’s release schedule and marketing plans.
