Delhi HC Defers Salman Khan's Kala Hiran Plea

Hearing Adjourned, Not Resolved

The court case between actor Salman Khan and the producers of Kala Hiran: The Battle for Legacy was back in the Delhi High Court on July 1, 2026, however, without any resolution. Justice Jyoti Singh took it up for further consideration on July 6, after observing that the reply affidavit submitted by the filmmakers had been not been filed.

Most importantly, the filmmakers' counsel appeared before the court and assured him that it would not go to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) for pre-hearing clearance until the next hearing.

As the movie has not reached CBFC, there is no certified version of the film that will be presented to the court and the immediate question before the court now is as much procedural as substantive.

The Core of Khan's Grievance

Khan's plea is part of a larger personality rights suit where the Delhi High Court had granted interim protection in his favour on December 11, 2025, prohibiting any unauthenticated use of Khan's name, image and persona. He is now claiming that the poster and teaser for Kala Hiran violate that protection.

The plea alleges the promotional material gives the impression of visually connecting its main character to the actor, when it actually does not. The actor's defence has taken it one step further, stating that there were certain visual elements, like the actor's bracelet, which was closely reminiscent of Khan's, and his character brandishing a gun which his counsel found particularly striking, given his earlier acquittal in the Arms Act case by the Rajasthan court.

The Filmmakers' Position

Producer Amit Jani has strongly denied the allegations. The movie is based on nothing but public domain material and the essence of this film is the Bishnoi community's dedication towards wildlife conservation and not the actor's personal life, he said, adding that it is treated as a story of conservation movement instead of being made into a film about a person's life.

After the Wednesday hearings, Jani posted on social media to explain that the adjournment was not a victory for Khan, but a normal move by the judiciary: "We are not here as a celebrity – fame and influence does not play a role in a Court. He has also restated the plan to roll it out on a large scale, saying the movie is still set to hit theatres in about 8,000 theatres around the world.

What the Law Says

As the case demonstrates, the protection of personality rights is usually extended to instances of unauthorized use of a person's name, image, likeness, voice or identifiable characteristics, particularly where they may cause harm to the reputation of the person or grant commercial advantage without their permission.

The conflict is one of many such cases before Indian courts, and it highlights the developing, albeit still maturing, Indian jurisprudence on the concept of identity as a proprietary (ownership rights) interest.

The Road Ahead

The filmmakers have also agreed to hold off on releasing the film or trailer until the next hearing so the court can consider the merits of Khan's claim without any action being taken on the ground.

The bench will then consider on July 6 if it should apply tougher interim restrictions during the pendency of the wider personality rights action that is also underway — something that will be closely monitored by an industry that is increasingly caught up in arguments about where creative licence ends and an individual's right to his or her own image begins.