Govind Namdev alleges Kala Hiran makers misled him about film targeting Salman Khan
Govind Namdev has alleged that the makers of Kala Hiran misled him about the film he signed. His remarks deepen the row around the project amid Salman Khan's petition and court intervention.
The controversy around the film Kala Hiran has escalated, with veteran actor Govind Namdev alleging that the makers misled him about the project he had signed. Namdev claimed that the story narrated to him and what was ultimately shot were entirely different. His remarks come amid Salman Khan’s legal intervention against the alleged use of his persona in the film, which is reportedly based on the 1998 blackbuck case.
Namdev, in an interview with Amar Ujala said he was initially informed that he was working on a film titled Sambhal, and later on Kala Hiran, which he was told would only depict courtroom proceedings linked to Salman Khan’s blackbuck case. He said he would never be part of anything targeting Salman Khan, whom he considers a close friend, and added that he would not have signed the project if he had known what was actually being made.
The 71-year-old said he was deeply disturbed after watching the trailer, adding, "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. 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."
The veteran revealed he was not aware of the actual plot when he first agreed to the film. “I was told that we were making a film named Sambhal. At that time, I had absolutely no idea that the story would later take a completely different direction,” he went on.
The actor recalled that he was later informed that a separate film titled Kala Hiran was being made and that it would only show what had happened inside the court in connection with Salman Khan’s blackbuck case. “I was informed that there is only a long courtroom scene and that is all I had to do. It was also mentioned that nothing new was being added from our end. We were only supposed to show the audience what had happened in court. I felt that if only the things recorded on file were being shown, then there was nothing wrong with it, which is why I said yes,” Namdev added.
The actor mentioned that he could not imagine associating himself with the Bishnoi gang. “I cannot consider any Bishnoi gang as my ideal. I cannot even think of such a thing. I believed that I was only performing the courtroom portion. However, what has come to light now has made me uncomfortable as well,” he concluded.
Salman Khan's legal notice to Kala Hiran makers
The development came days after Salman's legal team sent a notice to the makers of Kala Hiran: The Battle for Legacy, alleging that the film is based on the actor's ongoing blackbuck poaching case. The notice sought an immediate halt to the film’s release and demanded the removal of all posters and promotional material associated with the project. It also warned the makers of further legal action.
Salman, who has not yet issued an official statement on the controversy, was last seen in director AR Murugadoss's action drama, Sikandar (2025).
The actor will next be seen in Maatrubhumi: May War Rest in Peace, directed by Apoorva Lakhia.
The controversy around the film Kala Hiran has escalated, with veteran actor Govind Namdev alleging that the makers misled him about the project he had signed. Namdev claimed that the story narrated to him and what was ultimately shot were entirely different. His remarks come amid Salman Khan’s legal intervention against the alleged use of his persona in the film, which is reportedly based on the 1998 blackbuck case.
Namdev, in an interview with Amar Ujala said he was initially informed that he was working on a film titled Sambhal, and later on Kala Hiran, which he was told would only depict courtroom proceedings linked to Salman Khan’s blackbuck case. He said he would never be part of anything targeting Salman Khan, whom he considers a close friend, and added that he would not have signed the project if he had known what was actually being made.
The 71-year-old said he was deeply disturbed after watching the trailer, adding, "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. 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."
The veteran revealed he was not aware of the actual plot when he first agreed to the film. “I was told that we were making a film named Sambhal. At that time, I had absolutely no idea that the story would later take a completely different direction,” he went on.
The actor recalled that he was later informed that a separate film titled Kala Hiran was being made and that it would only show what had happened inside the court in connection with Salman Khan’s blackbuck case. “I was informed that there is only a long courtroom scene and that is all I had to do. It was also mentioned that nothing new was being added from our end. We were only supposed to show the audience what had happened in court. I felt that if only the things recorded on file were being shown, then there was nothing wrong with it, which is why I said yes,” Namdev added.
The actor mentioned that he could not imagine associating himself with the Bishnoi gang. “I cannot consider any Bishnoi gang as my ideal. I cannot even think of such a thing. I believed that I was only performing the courtroom portion. However, what has come to light now has made me uncomfortable as well,” he concluded.
Salman Khan's legal notice to Kala Hiran makers
The development came days after Salman's legal team sent a notice to the makers of Kala Hiran: The Battle for Legacy, alleging that the film is based on the actor's ongoing blackbuck poaching case. The notice sought an immediate halt to the film’s release and demanded the removal of all posters and promotional material associated with the project. It also warned the makers of further legal action.
Salman, who has not yet issued an official statement on the controversy, was last seen in director AR Murugadoss's action drama, Sikandar (2025).
The actor will next be seen in Maatrubhumi: May War Rest in Peace, directed by Apoorva Lakhia.
