In a relief to actor Salman Khan, the Delhi Court on Monday ordered the removal of the teaser of Kala Hiran, a film allegedly inspired by Khan's legal troubles in the 1998 black buck poaching case.
According to Bar and Bench, Justice Jyoti Singh ordered the takedown of links to the film's teaser and other promotional material in 24 hours. If the film's producers failed to comply with the court order, it would direct social platforms such as X and YouTube to scrub the teaser, the Court said.
Kala Hiran: The Battle for Legacy is directed by Bharat S. Shrinate and produced under the banner of Amit Jani. The filmmakers had unveiled the first-look poster of the film earlier this year. The poster depicted the film's lead, bearing a close resemblance to Khan, stationed in a forest terrain holding a sniper rifle.
After Salman Khan sent a legal notice to the makers, producer Amit Jani alleged that the move was a calculated attempt to "intimidate" the cast and crew associated with the independent project. Jani also tore up the notice during an interview circulated online.
"Reputation is built with great effort; once it's lost, it's lost. Even if this is played for 24 hours, someone suffers," the Court observed in the latest hearing, chastising Jani for his apparent conduct.
What is The Black Buck Case?
In 1998, Salman Khan was accused of hunting and killing two Indian blackbucks in Kankani village in Rajasthan during the shoot of Hum Saath Saath Hain. The ensuing legal proceedings became a national talking point and unfolded over two decades. In April, 2018, Khan was granted bail after being sentenced to five years in prison and a legal penalty of ₹10,000. The actor filed a petition to transfer his case from the trial court in Jodhpur to the Rajasthan High Court. In March, 2022, the Rajasthan High Court accepted his appeal and transferred the case within its ambit.