The Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued notice to Salman Khan in the legal fight over Kala Hiran: The Battle for Legacy. Producer Amit Jani has asked the court to pause proceedings in the actor’s suit seeking to block the film’s release, saying the dispute is already being heard in a case Khan filed earlier.
Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani has called for Khan’s response. The producer’s position is that the new application amounts to parallel litigation over the same project, its promotions and the same personality-rights claims.
The overlap at the centre of the case
Khan had earlier filed a suit to protect his personality rights. The High Court passed an interim order on December 11, 2025. He later sought another interim order to stop the release, and that request is still pending.
Jani says the actor is effectively asking all over again for the same restraint on the film’s release, exhibition and teasers.
- December 11, 2025: Interim order in Salman Khan’s personality rights suit.
- July 27 this year: A coordinate bench directed the removal of a teaser and related online posts.
- October 6, 2026: Delhi High Court issues notice to Khan on the producer’s stay plea.
What the court has already restrained
Under the interim order, the makers of Kala Hiran cannot use Khan’s name, mannerisms or other identifying traits commercially without permission, and cannot circulate material that could damage his standing.
The filmmakers maintain the project is not a biopic. They argue that Khan cannot use personality rights to erase public events surrounding the blackbuck poaching controversy. They have also told the court that the film is not ready for release, since it has not been certified by the censor board and its trailer has not been released.
Why Bollywood fans should watch this case
This is more than a routine release dispute. It is a visible test of how far a star’s personality rights can delay or reshape a film built around real-life public events. For the audience, the practical question is whether Kala Hiran eventually reaches certification and a release date, or spends another round in court over overlapping applications.
Because the filmmakers say the project has not yet received a censor certificate, the release question is not immediate. What is being tested now is case management: whether a court will see the release application as a new fight or part of the old one. That distinction can decide how quickly a title moves from dispute to date announcement.
Source: The Hindu