'Kala Hiran' makers move SC against HC order on teaser removal

Filmmaker Amit Jani has moved the Supreme Court against the Delhi High Court's order to remove the teaser for his film 'Kala Hiran'. The order was passed on Salman Khan's plea alleging violation of his personality rights.

Filmmaker Amit Jani has approached the Supreme Court against the Delhi High Court's July 27 order directing the removal of the teaser and related promotional material of 'Kala Hiran: The Battle for Legacy', after Salman Khan's plea alleging violation of his personality rights. Jani said the filmmakers do not agree with the High Court's decision and have filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) seeking restoration of the teaser and interviews.

Filmmaker's Stance on High Court Order

He also maintained that the film and its teaser do not feature Salman Khan or gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. "On July 27, the Delhi High Court ordered the removal of the teaser on Salman Khan's petition. We do not agree with this decision. We have gone to the Supreme Court against it to seek restoration of this teaser and all interviews... We have never said in any interview that Salman Khan is connected to the underworld," Jani said, in a conversation with ANI.He added that the filmmakers complied with the High Court's order while challenging its decision before the apex court. "There is no order to ban the film, just an order to remove one teaser, with which we do not agree," Jani said, stressing that 'Kala Hiran: The Battle for Legacy' itself had not been banned.

Details of Khan's Plea and HC's Interim Order

The film allegedly draws on public-domain events associated with Salman Khan's 1998 blackbuck poaching case. Before the High Court, Khan had alleged that the teaser portrayed him through a fictional character named "Ayan Khan" and used references to his films 'Dabangg' and 'Sikandar', along with details connected to the blackbuck case.The High Court's interim order came after the teaser was released on July 17, 2026, followed by its circulation through press releases, promotional videos, social media posts, YouTube videos, podcasts and other content. The court found prima facie that the material could harm Khan's reputation through fictional character references and film clips. However, it did not issue an order banning the film itself.Khan's plea before the High Court alleged that the teaser commercially exploited his personality without his consent. It described the proposed film as a courtroom drama depicting, in fictionalised form, the trial of a superstar over the alleged killing of a blackbuck, including the examination of witnesses, forensic conclusions, and threats and inducements to witnesses.

Grounds for Appeal in Supreme Court

Jani's appeal argues that the High Court restrained the teaser without identifying the precise actionable use through which the actor's persona was allegedly appropriated or commercially exploited.The plea further contends that accepting Khan's position could turn personality rights into a mechanism for restricting artistic, journalistic and historical expression concerning matters in the public domain.

Questioning 'Judicial Censorship'

Jani further argued that films are subject to certification by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), questioning the basis for what he described as "judicial censorship". "So the law is that when a film is made, the censor certificate is given to it by the CBFC. There is no provision for judicial censorship. But I don't know why there is an order to remove the teaser. We have gone against that order," he said.The filmmaker also criticised what he described as a narrative that the entire film had been stopped, reiterating that the High Court order was limited to the teaser and interviews.

Filmmakers Allege Threats Amid Dispute

Jani also raised the issue of alleged threats against the filmmakers, saying the matter had been brought before the Supreme Court and authorities. "We are receiving threats, so if we can't even say that we are receiving threats, that would be the complete murder of democracy. We have told the Supreme Court exactly this..." he said.Elaborating on the allegations, Jani said, "We are not saying that Salman Khan is their friend. They themselves call and say that Salman is our friend. They are threatening us that if you make a film on Salman Khan, we will kill you. We will throw grenades."He said the filmmakers had reported the alleged threats to the authorities, including the police and the National Investigation Agency (NIA), and maintained that they should also have the right to make their case publicly.Jani FireFox Films is producing 'Kala Hiran: The Battle for Legacy.' (ANI)(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianetnews Editorial staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)