Bollywood superstar Salman Khan has moved the court after filmmaker Abhinav Kashyap made a series of serious allegations against him and his family in multiple interviews. The legal battle has now taken a decisive turn, with a Mumbai court stepping in to temporarily restrain Kashyap from making or publishing any further derogatory remarks against the actor or his relatives.
According to PTI, Salman filed a defamation lawsuit against Abhinav Kashyap, Khushboo Hazare and several major social media platforms. The actor has sought a permanent injunction, an unconditional public apology and a hefty Rs 9 crore in damages. The case stems from 26 video interviews and podcasts released between September and December 2025, in which Kashyap allegedly made what the suit describes as “scandalous, false and grossly defamatory” statements.
Court Observations On Abusive Remarks By Abhinav Kashyap
After reviewing the content of the interviews, the court observed that Abhinav Kashyap’s statements were “prima facie defamatory, derogatory, abusive and insulting in nature”. It noted that such remarks lowered Salman Khan’s reputation in the eyes of the public and caused direct harm to his image.
The court made it clear that personal attacks on family members cannot be justified under any circumstances. It stated that “nobody can and nobody should make any defamatory statements against anybody’s family”. Addressing the argument of free speech, the court added, “The right to freedom of speech and expression doesn’t mean that one can use abusive and threatening language against any individual”.
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As part of the interim relief, the court barred Kashyap from publishing or circulating further content against Salman Khan and his family. It also directed that all existing contentious material be taken down.
What Did Abhinav Kashyap Say About Salman Khan?
Speaking to Bollywood Thikana, Abhinav Kashyap made several explosive claims. He alleged that although Salman Khan himself had not responded to his criticism, people close to the actor had taken offence. Kashyap claimed that Salman’s actions had caused irreversible damage. He also took a swipe at Salman’s upcoming film Battle of Galwan, questioning how someone he referred to as a criminal could play the role of a soldier.
Kashyap repeated his long-standing allegation that he was not paid fairly for writing Dabangg. He went on to level a serious accusation, alleging that Salman once forcibly took the film’s editor along with the editing equipment to his farmhouse. According to Kashyap, the editor was allowed to leave only after explaining that technical issues were due to voltage fluctuations at the location.
He further claimed that Salman had threatened the editor, warning him of consequences if the director interfered excessively with the film. Accusing Salman and his family of sustained harassment, Kashyap said the pressure pushed him to the brink and made him consider quitting the industry altogether. He alleged that attempts were made to portray him as incompetent so that Arbaaz Khan could replace him as director. However, he said this did not succeed and credited his friend Sunil Vohra for introducing him to Arbaaz, which helped him retain his position.
