Recently, the Delhi High Court passed an interim order asking the makers of Kala Hiran: The Battle for Legacy to remove the teaser and other promotional material that violated Salman Khan’s personality rights. Producer Amit Jani of Jani FireFox Films has now moved the Supreme Court against the HC order. The film’s promotions sparked controversy for allegedly being based on Salman’s pending blackbuck poaching case.
Kala Hiran producer moves SC against HC order
According to the news agency ANI, producer Amit moved the SC against the HC order directing him to remove the teaser and related promotional material for Kala Hiran. His plea stated that the HC restrained the teaser without identifying the precise actionable use by which they allegedly appropriated or commercially exploited Salman’s persona.
“The present proceedings raise a question of far-reaching constitutional significance, for acceptance of the actor’s legally untenable proposition would effectively weaponise personality rights as a tool of private censorship, permitting every public personality to seek gag orders against legitimate artistic, journalistic or historical expression concerning events associated with them,” the appeal stated.
“Permitting the actor to suppress the filmmaker’s creative expression under the guise of personality rights would produce an unprecedented chilling effect upon independent filmmaking, journalism and artistic dramatisation of matters inherently falling within the public domain and public interest”, the appeal further read.
Salman Khan’s argument over personality rights
The teaser of Kala Hiran was released on July 17, which led to the case. It was widely circulated through press releases, promotional videos, social media posts, YouTube videos, podcasts, and other online and offline content. In an interim order on July 27, the HC ordered the filmmakers to immediately take down the teaser and related promotional content. The material prima facie violated Salman’s personality rights, and the court said it was causing irreparable harm to his reputation.
Salman alleged in HC that the promotions commercially exploited his personality without his consent. He also pointed out that the fictional character in the two-minute teaser, named Ayan Khan, was supposed to portray him. He claimed references to his films Dabangg and Sikandar, as well as details of his pending blackbuck poaching case, were made in it. His plea stated that the teaser is set in a courtroom and depicts, in dramatised form, the trial of a ‘superstar’ over the alleged killing of a blackbuck. It also showcases the examination of witnesses, forensic conclusions, and threats and inducements to witnesses.
Last seen in Sikandar and the Saudi Arabian film 7 Dogs, which is releasing in India on August 21, Salman is currently shooting a film with Vamshi Paidipally and Dil Raju. He also has Apoorva Lakhia’s Maatrubhumi: May War Rest in Peace, which he is also producing, lined up.