The Delhi High Court on Wednesday listed actor Salman Khan's plea seeking a stay on the release of the film 'Kala Hiran: The Battle for Legal' for hearing on July 6, after noting that the movie has not yet been sent to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) for certification.
Court Hearing and Filmmaker's Assurance
Justice Jyoti Singh deferred the hearing after observing that a rejoinder filed by Khan was not on record. During the proceedings, Khan's senior counsel argued that urgent directions were required to prevent the film's release in the interim. In response, the lawyer representing the makers of 'Kala Hiran' submitted that the film would not be sent to the CBFC until Monday, July 6. "Can a movie be released before the censor board's certification? A movie cannot be released unless there is certification by the censor board. The movie has not even been sent to the censor board. We will not send the movie to the censor board till Monday," he stated.
Background of the Plea
Khan moved the high court last month, contending that the film was purportedly based on the blackbuck poaching case allegedly involving him and violated a high court order protecting his personality rights. The application is part of a lawsuit filed by Khan for protection of his personality rights.
In the response filed to the application, filmmaker Amit Jani argued that Khan cannot claim "ownership" over criminal cases, judicial proceedings, media reports, or historical events merely because they involved or concerned him. The response asserted that there was no exploitation of his personality rights, as there was neither false endorsement nor commercial impersonation or unlawful commercial exploitation. The makers also clarified that the movie is not Salman Khan's biopic and that Khan cannot invoke personality rights "to erase" public events concerning the blackbuck controversy.
Khan's Rejoinder and Allegations
In his rejoinder to the response, Khan stated that he has not claimed a monopoly over any event or public discourse. His grievance, he said, was the unauthorised commercial exploitation of his identity and other uniquely identifiable characteristics, such as his instantly recognisable bracelet and ear studs, to attract viewers. The application alleges that the film's poster, released on May 29, makes a "blatant and obvious reference" to him. A teaser of the film was also released last month.
The plea further states that although Khan was acquitted of offences under the Arms Act by a court in Rajasthan, the main character in the poster is holding a gun, which is defamatory. "The character depicted has an uncanny resemblance to the plaintiff and is clearly seen wearing a bracelet, which is immediately and promptly identifiable with the plaintiff and no one else," the application reads. It adds that the poster and the proposed film are "clearly spreading a false narrative, misleading and appear to be completely contrary to the actual state of affairs and contrary to records."
Impact on Reputation
The application accuses the filmmakers of deliberately trying to "sensationalise" the poaching cases and making headlines to grab public attention at the cost of Khan's goodwill and reputation. Khan had earlier approached the high court to restrain various social media platforms and e-commerce websites from unauthorisedly using his name, images, persona, and likeness to protect his personality rights. The High Court passed an interim order in his favour on December 11, 2025.
