Producer of 'Kala Hiran' challenges ban on teaser in Supreme Court
Synopsis
Film producer Amit Jani has approached the Supreme Court against a Delhi High Court order that directed the removal of the teaser for his film, 'Kala Hiran - The Battle For Legacy', citing a violation of actor Salman Khan's personality rights.
Film producer Amit Jani has moved the Supreme Court against the Delhi High Court order directing removal of the teaser and related promotional material for his film, 'Kala Hiran - The Battle For Legacy'.
High Court's Order and Salman Khan's Plea
High Court, in an interim order on July 27, ordered the makers of the film to immediately take down its teaser and related promotional content, holding that the material prima facie violated Bollywood actor Salman Khan's personality rights and was causing irreparable harm to his reputation.
The case before the High Court arose from the release of the teaser of the film on July 17, 2026, and its subsequent circulation through press releases, promotional videos, social media posts, YouTube videos, podcasts, and other online and offline content. The actor had alleged before the High Court that the campaign commercially exploited his personality without his consent.
Khan had contended that the two-minute teaser unmistakably portrayed the actor through a fictional character named 'Ayan Khan', while incorporating references to his films 'Dabangg' and 'Sikandar', as well as details linked to the pending blackbuck poaching case. His plea before the High Court said that the teaser of the proposed film is set entirely within a courtroom, depicting, in a dramatised form, the trial of the actor described as 'Superstar' for the alleged killing of a blackbuck, and showcases the examination of witnesses, forensic conclusions, as well as threats and inducements to witnesses.
Filmmaker's Appeal to Supreme Court
The filmmaker's plea before the apex court said that the High Court has restrained the teaser without identifying the precise actionable use by which they allegedly appropriated or commercially exploited the actor's persona.
"The present proceedings raise a question of far-reaching constitutional significance, for acceptance of the actor's legally untenable proposition would effectively weaponise personality rights as a tool of private censorship, permitting every public personality to seek gag orders against legitimate artistic, journalistic or historical expression concerning events associated with them," the appeal against the High Court stated.
Permitting the actor to suppress the filmmaker's creative expression under the guise of personality rights would "produce an unprecedented chilling effect upon independent filmmaking, journalism and artistic dramatisation of matters inherently falling within the public domain and public interest", added the appeal.
Kala Hiran: The Battle for Legacy is being produced under the banner of Jani FireFox Films. (ANI)