In a desperate bid to halt the release of a new film based on his life, the Bollywood superstar Salman Khan approached the Delhi High Court earlier this week. The actor filed a petition with the court demanding a stop to the film, titled ‘Kala Hiran: The Battle for Legacy’, citing an abrupt release of its trailer by the filmmakers. Khan’s lawyers filed for an urgent block against the film immediately after the trailer dropped unannounced Friday morning, June 12, when it was earlier expected on June 20.
Protecting his persona is proving to be a major battle for Salman’s legal team. Speaking on his behalf, Nizam Pasha informed Justice Neena Bansal Krishna of the High Court that the upcoming movie was essentially an outright rip-off of his client’s identity. Pasha submitted that there was already an existing order from December 2025 preventing unauthorized use of Salman’s persona. This order prevents unauthorized persons from using the star’s name, image or mimicry for profitable gain. Pasha stated that the latest movie directly contravened this protective order
The Blue Bracelet and the Problematic Lookalike
It seems the fury from Salman’s side stems from a promotional poster of the film released by the producers on May 29. A character on the poster bears a striking resemblance to the Bollywood actor. And it isn’t just the face or hair that is identical. The character on the poster is sporting a distinctly blue-stone bracelet. This same type of bracelet has been a signature accessory for Salman for decades in his movies. His lawyer clearly stated that this was an obvious attempt at copying the star.
But what is proving to be even more disturbing for the actor’s lawyers is that this lookalike is also shown with a gun. The star was charged under the Arms Act back in 1998. While the court acquitted him on this charge years ago, an appeal against this verdict is pending in higher courts. Pasha stated that depicting the lookalike with a gun was trying to create a connection between him and a crime for which he was already acquitted
Digging up the 1998 Poaching Case
As the title itself suggests, the film’s focus is on the poaching incident in 1998, which Salman was involved in during a Rajasthan film shoot. The actor was charged under various sections of the Arms Act and Wildlife Protection Act. He has been cleared in three of those cases but there remains a pending appeal against the verdict in the higher courts.
This ongoing trial is what concerns the actor and his legal team, as they claim the movie’s release could hamper the star’s chance of receiving justice. They say that the public may form its own opinions before the court has a chance to hear out both parties involved, especially if there’s a dramatization of events still in legal limbo. Salman’s legal team feels the filmmakers are using his past in the dark to make quick cash. Furthermore, the fact that the producer Amit Jani made comments in the media, relating the movie to the poaching incident and also the controversial gangster Lawrence Bishnoi has added to their concerns.
Ignoring the Warning Signs
This is not the first time the actor’s representatives are coming after this film. Salman’s team had issued a legal notice to producer Amit Jani of Jani Fire Fox Films and director Bharat Shrinate on April 24, 2026. The notice had explicitly called for the production to be scrapped immediately and all further promotional activity halted.
The film producers however largely chose to ignore the notice and went ahead with their promotional schedule. They first released the disturbing poster in May and followed it with the abrupt trailer release on a Friday morning in June. Salman’s lawyers have finally filed for an application under Order XXXIX Rules 1 and 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure requesting a stay on the film and all forms of promotion relating to it. They are seeking an ad-interim injunction preventing printing, broadcasting, and showing of any new posters, trailers, or the film itself
Filmmakers Strike Back
Producer Amit Jani claims he is entirely within his rights to promote the movie. He has strongly denied that he is commercially misrepresenting Salman and said his film is not an outright biography of the Bollywood star but “inspired by real-life events which everyone is aware of and which anyone can read from the newspapers”. He also stated that his movie is actually a commentary on the Bishnoi community, who are renowned animal lovers, and their long-standing efforts to conserve wildlife.
The producer has called the legal notice premature, stating that nothing much was actually released prior to it to warrants a notice. He argued that the actor’s lawyers’ actions were premature. They took action based on just a single promotional picture. According to the production company, their movie is actually a suspense action thriller based on real legal battles.
The Court Puts a Hold on the Ban
Justice Neena Bansal Krishna heard all the arguments but did not immediately grant a ban on Friday, arguing that the filmmakers should also be given an opportunity to respond. She remarked that a notice to the filmmakers is a necessity of the legal procedure. She stated, “Even if you issue notice to them for one day, it is required by law”.
The judge has now issued formal notices to the producer, director as well as casting director Akshay Pandey, who are now expected to file a response. The judge has also noted that the trailer has already been released. Given the immediacy of the situation, she has fixed June 19, 2026, as the next date for hearing where the court will review the filmmakers’ responses and then take a decision regarding the ban on the movie.
