The Delhi High Court (HC) will hear Bollywood actor Salman Khan’s plea against the makers of the upcoming film, ‘Kala Hiran: The Battle For Legacy,’ on June 19, 2026. Notably, the case has reignited debate around personality rights and the use of real-life controversies involving eminent personalities in cinematic storytelling.

The actor has sought interim relief from the HC, alleging that the film is a thinly veiled portrayal of events linked to the 1998 blackbuck poaching case and unlawfully capitalises on his public persona to generate commercial interest.

Plea seeks to restrain filmmakers from releasing movie

The Dabangg actor has moved the Delhi HC through an application filed in an already pending commercial suit, seeking an ad-interim injunction against the movie’s producers, director and others linked to the project.

In the plea, Khan has sought to restrain Kala Hiran’s producer Amit Jani, Jani Firefox Films, director Bharat Shrinate, Akshay Pandey and other stakeholders from producing, promoting, distributing, exhibiting, streaming or releasing the movie until the dispute is finally adjudicated.

As mentioned in the application, the film does not explicitly mention Khan by his name, but the promotional content, posters and public statements allegedly make the actor easily identifiable to audiences.

Khan alleges gross violation of personality rights

Khan contends that the project amounts to a gross violation of personality rights, claiming that the makers are leveraging his image and past legal controversies to attract publicity and attention.

The petition points to interviews, social media posts and promotional material that allegedly connect the film to the long-standing blackbuck poaching case and references to jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, whose name has frequently cropped up in discussions surrounding the actor in recent years.

The actor’s legal team argues that such associations are deliberately being highlighted to create curiosity and boost the film’s marketability.

Salman issued a legal notice in April 2026

According to court filings, Salman had issued a legal notice to the ones involved in the project on April 24, 2026, directing them to halt the movie and desist from developing, producing and promoting it. However, the actor claims promotional activities continued despite the notice, prompting him to seek intervention of the judiciary.

Additionally, Khan has requested the court to prohibit the publication or dissemination of teasers, trailers, posters and other promotional material linked to Kala Hiran.

Details of the 1998 blackbuck case

The legal dispute stems from the film’s alleged inspiration from the 1998 blackbuck hunting case, one of the most high-profile legal battles involving Salman Khan. As per court records, Khan was the key accused in the case, while fellow actors like Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Neelam and others were acquitted. In April 2018, a trial court in Rajasthan convicted Khan and sentenced him to five years of jail term. However, he was granted bail by a Sessions court and walked free from Jodhpur jail.