Delhi HC orders Kala Hiran teaser removal in Salman Khan rights case

MUMBAI: The spotlight shifted from the silver screen to the courtroom as a film teaser found itself on trial before its release. The Delhi High Court on Monday directed that the teaser of the upcoming film Kala Hiran: The Battle for Legacy be removed from online platforms within 24 hours, while hearing actor Salman Khan’s plea alleging infringement of his personality rights.

According to reports, Justice Jyoti Singh said that if the filmmakers failed to take down the teaser, the court would direct social media platforms, including X and YouTube, to remove the content.

During the hearing, the court observed that the teaser had the potential to cause irreversible damage to an individual’s reputation and indicated that an order for the removal of the disputed content would be passed. It also directed Khan’s legal team to submit a consolidated list of links containing the allegedly infringing material to facilitate the takedown process.

Khan approached the High Court claiming that the film draws from the 1998 blackbuck poaching case involving him, litigation that remains pending before higher courts.

According to the petition, the teaser portrays a character closely resembling the actor, including his signature bracelet, while allegedly suggesting links to the underworld. Khan argued that the film not only violates his personality rights but could also prejudice his right to a fair trial by presenting a version of events while judicial proceedings are still underway.

The petition also states that the actor has already been acquitted in three of the four criminal cases linked to the incident, while the sentence in the remaining case has been suspended.

The hearing also saw the court express strong displeasure over the conduct of the film’s producer, Amit Jani, after Khan’s counsel alleged that a legal notice sent to him had been publicly torn up and followed by social media posts accusing the actor of intimidation.

Justice Singh remarked that no individual, irrespective of status, should be subjected to such treatment, adding that reputational damage can occur the moment disputed material enters the public domain.

Appearing for the filmmakers, counsel argued that the teaser neither names Salman Khan nor uses artificial intelligence or deepfake technology. The defence maintained that the film merely depicts events already in the public domain and does not infringe the actor’s personality rights.

After viewing the teaser in court, Justice Singh observed that portraying events connected to a matter currently pending before the judiciary raised serious concerns. She noted that while reputation takes years to build, it can be damaged within moments, and even brief circulation of such content may leave lasting consequences.

Counsel representing Meta and Google argued that internet intermediaries should not be subjected to pre-publication injunctions. The court, however, observed that digital platforms also bear responsibility when hosting disputed material and indicated that accountability could extend to intermediaries if the teaser is not removed within the stipulated period.

The matter remains pending before the Delhi High Court, with further directions expected after Salman Khan’s legal team submits the list of disputed links, setting the stage for another closely watched legal battle at the intersection of cinema, celebrity rights and digital platforms.