Court to order takedown of film links based on Salman Khan poaching case

The Delhi high court is poised to order the removal of online links related to a controversial film, "Kala Hiran: The Battle for Legacy." The movie, reportedly inspired by actor Salman Khan's 1998 blackbuck poaching case, has drawn the court's ire.

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Jani was committing contempt of court by depicting sub judice events.

Justice Jyoti Singh stated that film producer Amit Jani was in contempt of court for depicting ongoing legal matters. She emphasized the severe reputational damage even brief public circulation of the teaser could inflict. "Every minute it is in the public domain, it is harming the reputation of the plaintiff [Khan]," the judge told Jani's lawyer, adding that such actions could not be justified even against a common man.

Salman Khan had petitioned the court to halt the film's production, promotion, and release. He argued that a December court order protecting his personality rights, which includes the right to a fair trial, had been violated. Khan pointed to a May poster release that suggested the film was based on the "blackbuck incident" and featured a character with a striking resemblance to him, used without his consent for commercial purposes.

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Even 24 hours of public circulation of the teaser could inflict significant damage on a person’s reputation.

Jani's lawyer countered that the producer was merely responding to interview questions and that the teaser did not name Khan or use deepfake technology. He also argued that depicting public events should not be restricted, especially without exclusive protection.

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Your client [Jani] thinks he is above the law. He is getting worse day by day ... Every minute it is in the public domain, it is harming the reputation of the plaintiff [Khan].

The court indicated it would issue takedown orders within 24 hours and asked Khan's legal team to provide a list of infringing links.

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You cannot do this even to a common man. It cannot get worse than this even for a common man. Reputation is built with great effort; once it is lost, it is lost.