Actor Sonu Mishra has walked away from the controversial film Kala Hiran: The Battle for Legacy, claiming the project was being used as “propaganda against a senior actor.” His exit comes as the film remains embroiled in a legal battle with Salman Khan, who has approached the Delhi High Court seeking to restrain the film’s production, promotion and release, alleging that it infringes upon his personality and publicity rights and damages his reputation.
Speaking about his decision, Sonu revealed that he quit the film after just two days of shooting. According to the actor, he became uncomfortable after reading his contract and understanding the direction in which the project was headed. He alleged that one of the contractual clauses required him to make public statements against Salman Khan as part of the film’s promotional campaign, something he refused to do.
Sonu, who appeared alongside Salman Khan in Sikandar, said he had no interest in participating in what he described as a campaign targeting a senior member of the film industry. “I felt this was propaganda against a senior actor,” he said, adding that he could not be part of any project that attempted to damage another artist’s reputation.
The controversy surrounding Kala Hiran has intensified over the past few weeks. Salman Khan moved the Delhi High Court against the makers after claiming that the proposed film appeared to draw similarities with his life and long-running association with the 1998 blackbuck poaching case. According to the actor’s legal team, the title, promotional material and storyline could create a misleading impression among audiences and unfairly exploit his public image.
The High Court recently deferred the matter to a later date after hearing preliminary arguments. During the proceedings, the court was informed that despite earlier assurances, promotional material related to the film had already been released. The legal dispute is expected to continue before any decision is taken on the film’s future.
Sonu’s departure marks another setback for the production. Earlier, veteran actor Govind Namdev had also distanced himself from the project after expressing disappointment over the makers allegedly not informing him that the central character bore similarities to Salman Khan. Namdev said he was never told about such a creative approach while signing the film and did not wish to be associated with any unnecessary controversy.
Meanwhile, director Puneet Sharma has consistently denied allegations that Kala Hiran is based on Salman Khan or intended to target him. The filmmaker has maintained that the project is an original work of fiction and argued that no individual can claim exclusive rights over a subject inspired by public events. He has also stated that the production will continue to defend its position in court.