Salman Khan’s legal bid to halt the release of Kala Hiran: The Battle for Legal took a fresh turn after the filmmakers told the Delhi High Court that the film has neither been submitted to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) nor received certification, making its release impossible at this stage.
According to Hindustan Times, the filmmakers informed the court on Wednesday that the film cannot be released without CBFC approval. Their counsel said the producers have not yet submitted the film to the censor board and will not do so before Monday, 6 July. The submission came after Khan’s legal team sought urgent directions to stop the film’s release.
The actor moved the Delhi High Court in June after the film’s first-look poster and trailer surfaced online. He argued that Kala Hiran: The Battle for Legal appears to draw from the blackbuck poaching case associated with him and violates an earlier court order protecting his personality rights. The petition forms part of the 59-year-old actor’s lawsuit seeking protection of his name, image and likeness.
In his plea, Khan said the poster, released on 29 May, contains a clear reference to him. He argued that the lead character closely resembles him, wears a bracelet widely associated with him and is shown carrying a gun despite his acquittal in the Arms Act case in Rajasthan.
The petition further alleged that the portrayal creates a false narrative, misleads the public and harms his reputation. Khan also accused the filmmakers of sensationalising the poaching case to attract publicity at the expense of his goodwill.
Meanwhile, veteran actor Govind Namdev and another cast member have distanced themselves from the project, saying they were unaware of how the filmmakers intended to market the film.
Salman Khan had earlier secured interim protection of his personality rights from the Delhi High Court on 11 December last year, restraining the unauthorised commercial use of his name, image, persona and likeness.
