Sikandar actor claims he quit Kaala Hiran, says contract asked him to speak against Salman Khan

A day after actor Govind Namdev spoke out against the upcoming film Kala Hiran, claiming he was kept in the dark about its true intent, another actor associated with the project, Sonu Mmishra, has shared his side of the story. Mmishra revealed that he walked out of the film just two days after shooting began.

The controversy surrounding Kala Hiran: The Battle for Legacy began as soon as it was announced. The film has sparked debate due to its apparent inspiration from Salman Khan's long-running blackbuck poaching case.

'I had to speak Against Salman': Actor Claims He Left Kala Hiran Shoot

As the controversy continues to grow, Sonu Mishra, who previously worked with Salman Khan in Sikandar, claimed he refused to be part of the project after discovering that the contract allegedly required him to speak negatively about the superstar in the media.

"After two days of shoot, I asked them for the script. As the lead actor, I asked them to share the script and the clauses of the agreement. The makers also realized that they couldn't control me. After a lot of delay, they showed me the contract, which stated that I had to speak against Salman to the media as well. These things are against my ethics," Mmishra told the YouTube channel Bollywood Crazies.

Mmishra further said that he was initially excited about the opportunity to portray Salman Khan, believing the role could be a turning point in his career.

"I was very excited for Kala Hiran. I got the opportunity to play superstar Salman Khan. I had started shooting as well. But when a narrative starts getting built, you realize the intent of the film. Being a working actor for the past 15–16 years, I wouldn't like to be part of such a film. No doubt they have a perspective, but if you depict superstar Salman Khan in a negative way, I'd rather do other projects," Mmishra added.

Legal threats from Kala Hiran makers

Mmishra also shared that how he got the legal threats from the makers of the movie after he spoke publicly about leaving the project.

"They also objected to me posting BTS (behind‑the‑scenes) footage of the shoot on social media. But if there's no agreement in the first place, how does it concern them whether I post something on my social media or not? I kept insisting on an agreement for the longest time, but they didn't relent," the actor said.

Govind Namdev claims he was 'kept in the dark' about film targeting Salman Khan

Veteran actor Govind Namdev, who has worked with Salman in Wanted, is playing the role of a lawyer in the movie, have claimed that he was kept in dark about the movie targeting the superstar.

Saying that he was made believe that the movie was very different story, but then he released the motif of the movie after he watched the trailer.

Speaking to Amar Ujala, Namdev said,''"As soon as I watched the trailer, I was shaken to the core. I instantly understood that the project is completely different from what I was shot for," he said. “We were never told that a character resembling Salman Khan would be created and misrepresented in this manner in the film. The moment I saw the trailer, I felt like I had been kept in the dark and used. There is a world of difference between what I was told and what has actually been made.”

What's the controvery?

On May 30, the makers released the first poster of Kala Hiran, featuring an actor bearing a striking resemblance to Salman Khan. The announcement stated that the film would bring gripping real-life legal cases and intense courtroom drama to the big screen.

However, reports claimed that Salman Khan's team sent a legal notice to the makers shortly after the poster's release. The controversy stems from the film's apparent reference to the actor's widely publicised blackbuck poaching case.

What's the real-life case the film is based on?

The incident dates back to 1998 during the filming of Hum Saath-Saath Hain in Rajasthan. Salman Khan, along with Saif Ali Khan, Sonali Bendre, Neelam, and Tabu, was accused of hunting two blackbucks, a protected species under the Wildlife Protection Act. The case has remained one of the most closely followed legal matters in Indian entertainment history.