Delhi High Court has postponed the hearing on Salman Khan’s petition on June 19, in which he has challenged the makers of the web series named ‘Kala Hiran’. This entire legal battle is revolving around the ‘personality rights’ of the actor. Salman wants that the release and promotion of this show should be stopped immediately. However, the makers have not stopped its digital rollout yet, which has increased the suspense and tension regarding the trailer of the show.
Salman Khan claims that his name and image are being misused in this project. In fact, the title of the series directly points to the 1998 blackbuck poaching case. Salman argues that this is causing great harm to his social image. He has demanded a permanent injunction against the film makers, so that all content including trailers and social media promos can be controlled. At present, the court is awaiting a detailed reply from the makers in this matter.
Salman Khan ‘Black Deer’ case: When will the next hearing be held?
The court has fixed the next hearing for a later date this month. Meanwhile, the makers have got time to file their formal reply. The matter of relief is that at present no interim ban has been imposed on the series, which means that fans can still watch its trailer on various streaming platforms. Legal experts believe this case will redefine celebrity personality rights in India and show how stars can protect their public identities.
To understand the seriousness of this case, it is important to know the main demands of Salman Khan. His legal team says that his identity is being used for commercial gain without permission. They want that all the content related to this should be immediately removed from the internet. On the other hand, the makers argue that the series is a work of fiction and they have the right to creative freedom. See the table below to see what relief Salman Khan has sought from the court:
Relief sought Current status Promotion postponed Ban on removal of digital content Awaiting reply Ban on release Subject to review
What will be the impact of Salman Khan ‘Black Deer’ case on creators?
This controversy is a very important turning point in terms of Indian entertainment law. Celebrity personality rights are now becoming a strong shield against biopics being made without permission. If Salman Khan wins this case, then in future other stars can also drag the makers to court for similar content. This will also make it challenging for writers and directors to choose titles for their projects. At present, the eyes of the audience are fixed on the final decision of the court, because here the matter is stuck between creative freedom and personal privacy.