The Delhi High Court (HC) on Wednesday yet again deferred the hearing of Bollywood actor Salman Khan’s plea filed regarding the promotion and release of the upcoming film, ‘Kala Hiran: The Battle For Legacy.’ The actor had earlier alleged that the project unlawfully drew from his life and public image without his consent, particularly in connection with the long-standing 1998 blackbuck poaching case. 

The matter was listed before Justice Jyoti Singh, who directed the filmmakers to clearly outline their plans regarding the film’s release before the court proceeds with further hearings. The case has now been listed for its next hearing on Monday. 

Court awaits detailed response from film’s makers

Representing the filmmakers, counsel informed the court that only the film’s teaser has been released so far and that the feature film itself is yet to be released. They further assured the court in writing that the film would not be submitted to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) for certification before Monday. Their counsel then said that a detailed reply to Khan's petition would be filed soon. 

During the proceedings, the filmmakers’ legal team also contended that the actor had not made the CBFC a party to the petition, despite certification being a mandatory legal requirement before any film can receive a theatrical release. 

Earlier, a vacation bench had heard the case and has now been transferred to a regular roster bench for further proceedings. 

Khan threw legal challenge before filmmakers, here’s why

In his petition, Khan sought judicial intervention to halt the promotion and release of the film, alleging that it was based on his life and exploits his identity without authorisation. The dispute centres on the 1998 blackbuck poaching case, which stands as one of the most closely followed legal matters involving Khan. 

Producer Amit Jani junks Khan’s claims

Ahead of the hearing, the film’s producer, Amit Jani, publicly opposed Salman Khan’s petition, asserting that he is unlikely to receive any relief from the court. In an interaction with news agency IANS, Jani said he had not been provided sufficient time to prepare his defence, claiming that the court documents were served only two days before the previous hearing. 

He further alleged that he had received a phone call from a man, who identified himself as Shahzad Bhatti, purportedly based in Pakistan. He said the caller urged him to reach a settlement with Khan and allegedly threatened his family if he refused to do so. 

Jani maintained that judicial decisions are determined by the merits of a case rather than a person’s celebrity status. Rejecting allegations that he was trying to capitalise on Khan’s fame, he said the film centres on the Bishnoi community’s long-standing efforts to protect blackbucks and preserve their wildlife heritage.