Kala Hiran producer Amit Jani challenges Delhi HC order on Salman Khan’s personality rights in Supreme Court

Film producer Amit Jani has approached the Supreme Court challenging the Delhi High Court’s interim order directing the makers of Kala Hiran: The Battle for Legacy to remove its teaser and other promotional material.

The case concerns allegations that the film’s promotions violated actor Salman Khan’s personality rights.

Jani, who is producing the film under Jani FireFox Films, has challenged the High Court’s July 27 order.

The controversy began after the teaser of Kala Hiran was released on July 17 and drew attention for its apparent references to Salman’s ongoing blackbuck poaching case.

According to ANI, Jani’s appeal argues that the High Court restrained the teaser without identifying the specific actionable use through which Salman’s persona was allegedly appropriated or commercially exploited.

“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 stated.

The plea further argued, “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.” Why did Salman Khan object to the film’s teaser? Salman had approached the Delhi High Court alleging that the film’s promotional material commercially exploited his personality without his consent.

His plea claimed that the two-minute teaser featured a fictional character named Ayan Khan who was portrayed in a manner that clearly alluded to him.

The actor also alleged that the teaser contained references to his films Dabangg and Sikandar, alongside elements related to his pending blackbuck poaching case.

The teaser reportedly depicts a courtroom trial involving a superstar accused of killing a blackbuck.

It also includes dramatised sequences involving witness examination, forensic findings and alleged attempts to threaten or influence witnesses.

In its interim order, the Delhi High Court directed the makers to take down the teaser and related promotional material, observing that the content prima facie violated Salman’s personality rights and could cause irreparable harm to his reputation.

On the work front, Salman was last seen in Sikandar.

He also features in the Saudi Arabian film 7 Dogs, which is scheduled to release in India on August 21.