this delhi high court The makers of the upcoming film Kalashiran: The Legal Battle have been directed to remove its trailer and all related promotional content from online platforms Salman Khan Objections were filed to the alleged unauthorized use of his personality and public image.In an interim order passed on July 27, Justice Jyoti Singh noted that the actor had produced prima facie evidence and held that the filmmakers cannot use his identity, mannerisms or other identifiable features for commercial purposes without his consent.
The court initially determined that the violation Personal rights
The court, while hearing Khan’s application, noted that the trailer appeared to draw heavily on incidents related to the actor’s pending case, PTI reported. Blackbuck poaching case appeal. It also noted that promotional material suggested witness intimidation and interference with investigations, which could seriously damage the actor’s reputation.“In my view, from the narrative accumulated in the impugned trailers and posts, the proposed defendants have infringed the plaintiff’s personality rights and publicity rights by launching a promotional campaign/strategy to commercially exploit the plaintiff’s personality rights and public image without the plaintiff’s consent or authorization, for the purpose of generating commercial interest in the film and attracting audiences,” the order stated.The court added that the rapid reach and persistence of digital platforms make the dissemination of such content more harmful when it infringes personality rights or affects a person’s reputation.
Trailers and promotional posts must be removed
Justice Singh restrained the filmmakers from uploading, hosting, sharing or promoting the trailer or any related content on social media platforms, OTT services, television or print media. Existing posts have been ordered to be deleted within 24 hours. The court also directed X, Meta and Google to delete specified URLs if the uploader fails to comply within the stipulated time. The order reaffirms legal protections for individuals, stating:“The court recognized that the right to personality is inherent in Article 21 of the Constitution of India and covers the right to privacy, dignity and reputation.”The court further stated: “Plaintiffs have the right to determine the manner in which their personality may be commercially exploited, and proposed defendants are prohibited from unauthorized use of Plaintiffs’ name, demeanor, and other distinctive characteristics for commercial gain and/or to publish and disseminate content that harms Plaintiffs’ public reputation.”
Salman Khan’s objections in court
Salman Khan’s legal team, representing the actor, argued that the trailer depicted a fictional superstar facing trial for allegedly killing Blackbuck and deliberately used a name similar to the actor’s. They also pointed to references describing the character as “this Dabangg”, in addition to claims that the campaign linked Khan to the underworld and international terror groups while hinting at a conspiracy to prevent the film from being released.Salman Khan has also sought a stay on the film’s release as part of the legal proceedings.The actor maintained that although he was acquitted in the Arms Act case, the poster depicted the central character holding a gun, which he termed defamatory. His petition further claims that the character bears a striking resemblance to him, including the iconic bracelet and earrings closely associated with his public persona.According to the plea, the promotional materials provided a misleading narrative contrary to the court record and appeared designed to hype the BlackBuck case for commercial gain.
Filmmaker denies accusations
Filmmaker Amit Jani, in his response to the high court, argued that Salman Khan cannot assert his exclusive rights simply because criminal proceedings, judicial records or historical events involve him.The producers also claimed that Kalashiran: The Legal Battle is not a biopic of the actor and denied violating his personality rights. They claim there was no case of false endorsement, commercial impersonation or unlawful exploitation of his identity and insist that personality rights cannot be invoked to eliminate publicity surrounding the BlackBuck controversy.Salman Khan responded by saying that he had no intention of monopolizing any public event or legal process. Instead, he argued that the filmmakers exploited his identity and uniquely identifiable characteristics without authorization to attract audiences.It is worth noting that Salman Khan had previously obtained an interim order from the Delhi High Court in December 2025, prohibiting the unauthorized use of his name, likeness and image for commercial purposes on social media and e-commerce platforms.
