Cinema VinesThe Delhi High Court has ordered Salman Khan to reply to a plea filed by filmmaker Amit Jani, who seeks a stay on the actor’s civil suit over the proposed film Kala Hiran: The Battle for Legacy. The application was heard before Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani, with Jani’s counsel arguing that the reliefs Khan is requesting now overlap significantly with those sought in an earlier suit already pending before the High Court.
Jani’s legal team contended that Khan has launched parallel litigation concerning the same subject matter, and therefore the subsequent proceedings should remain stayed until the earlier case reaches a final decision. Senior Advocate Ravi Prakash, representing Khan, promised to file a formal counter‑affidavit in response to the application.
The court also demanded clarification on the exact basis of the relief Khan is pursuing. Prakash explained that Khan had initially approached the court to protect his personality and publicity rights, leading to an interim protection order in December 2025. After the interim order, the filmmakers released promotional material and gave media interviews that allegedly drew direct parallels between the film and aspects of the actor’s life, including the 1998 blackbuck poaching case in Rajasthan.
According to Khan’s counsel, the depiction was sufficiently identifiable with the actor’s persona and could cause significant reputational harm. Khan subsequently asked the court to prevent the circulation of promotional and publicity material linked to the film and to restrain its proposed release. In July 2026, the Delhi High Court directed the removal of the film’s initial digital teaser and certain promotional posts from social media, and barred the filmmakers from using Salman Khan’s name, likeness or identifiable characteristics without his consent.
The proceedings have also focused on the film’s distribution and release plans. Jani’s side noted that Kala Hiran was neither complete nor submitted to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) for theatrical certification at that stage, and that an official trailer had not yet been released or circulated. The possibility of a direct‑to‑digital release was also discussed, with the court considering Khan’s apprehensions regarding the film’s potential distribution strategy.
