Producer of Kala Hiran approaches Indian Supreme Court against teaser removal order

Producer Amit Jani of the upcoming film Kala Hiran has approached the Supreme Court of India, challenging the Delhi High Court’s interim

Producer Amit Jani of the upcoming film Kala Hiran has approached the Supreme Court of India, challenging the Delhi High Court’s interim order directing the filmmakers to remove the film’s teaser and other promotional material. The dispute reportedly stems from allegations that the film violates the personality rights of Bollywood superstar Salman Khan.

The controversy began after the teaser of Kala Hiran was released on July 17. The film’s promotional campaign attracted attention because it was allegedly based on the long-running blackbuck hunting case involving Salman Khan. On July 27, the Delhi High Court issued an interim order directing the filmmakers to immediately remove the teaser and related promotional content. The court observed that the material appeared, at first glance, to violate Salman Khan’s personality rights and could cause irreparable harm to his reputation.

According to Indian media reports, producer Amit Jani has now challenged the High Court’s decision before the Supreme Court. In his appeal, Jani reportedly argued that the High Court had not clearly identified which specific elements of the teaser were objectionable or demonstrated how they unlawfully used or commercially exploited Salman Khan’s identity.

The appeal further argues that the case raises a question of significant constitutional importance. According to Jani’s position, accepting Salman Khan’s legal claim without sufficient justification could potentially allow personality rights to become a tool for private censorship.

The producer has also argued that restricting filmmakers’ creative expression under the protection of personality rights could have broader consequences for the film industry. He maintained that such restrictions could negatively affect independent filmmaking, journalism and artistic representations of events that are already part of the public domain and public interest.

Salman Khan, meanwhile, has reportedly argued before the court that the film’s promotional material commercially uses his identity without his permission. He also pointed to a fictional character named Ayan Khan, featured in the approximately two-minute teaser, claiming that the character was clearly created as a representation of his personality.

According to the petition, the teaser opens with a courtroom sequence in which a superstar is shown facing trial over allegations of killing a blackbuck. The teaser also dramatizes witness statements, forensic findings and incidents involving alleged threats or inducements directed at witnesses.

The legal dispute has therefore raised questions about the balance between a celebrity’s personality rights and a filmmaker’s right to creative and artistic expression, particularly when a film draws inspiration from events that have already received significant public attention.

On the professional front, Salman Khan was most recently seen in Sikandar and is set to appear in 7 Dogs, which is scheduled to release in India on August 21. He is also currently working on a film with actor-director Vamshi Paidipally and producer Dil Raju. Another project, Maatr Bhoomi, is also reportedly among his upcoming films.