Mumbai Civil Court bars Abhinav Kashyap from making derogatory remarks against Salman Khan

A City Civil Court at Mumbai has issued a temporary order restraining filmmaker Abhinav Kashyap from making any disparaging or defamatory remarks against Bollywood actor Salman Khan and his family, following a defamation suit filed by the superstar, as per reports. 

On Friday, the court reportedly passed an ad interim ex parte injunction directing Kashyap not to make derogatory statements against Khan, observing that abusive or threatening language cannot be justified under the guise of freedom of speech.

The lawsuit, which also names two other individuals and several online platforms as defendants, seeks a permanent injunction and damages amounting to ₹9 crore, as per the reports.

Khan approached the court after Kashyap made a series of remarks in interviews and podcasts between September and December 2025. The suit alleges that Kashyap made “scandalous, false and grossly defamatory” statements against the actor and his family. Among the claims cited are alleged references to the Khan family as “convicted criminals” and part of a “jihadi ecosystem”.

The plea further states that Kashyap used offensive language to comment on Khan’s appearance, age and personal life, and allegedly drew comparisons with notorious criminals. Specific derogatory remarks were also reportedly made against Khan’s father, veteran writer Salim Khan, and his brothers Arbaaz Khan and Sohail Khan.

Filed through advocate Pradeep Gandhi, the lawsuit seeks to permanently restrain the defendants from publishing or circulating any further defamatory material. It also requests the court to direct the defendants and social media platforms to remove all contentious content and issue an unconditional apology.

Seeking urgent interim relief, Khan argued that the statements had caused serious harm to his reputation. After reviewing the interviews cited in the case, the court observed that the remarks were “prima facie defamatory, derogatory, abusive and insulting in nature” and lowered the plaintiff’s image in the eyes of the general public.

The court further noted that no one has the right to make defamatory statements about an individual or their family, emphasising that every person’s privacy and reputation deserve protection. Addressing the issue of free speech, it clarified that the right to freedom of speech and expression does not permit the use of abusive or threatening language against others.

The order temporarily restrains Kashyap and the other defendants from making, publishing or circulating any further defamatory or slanderous content — including videos, posts, interviews or social media communications — related to Salman Khan or his family until they appear before the court and file their replies.

Abhinav Kashyap, who directed Salman Khan’s 2010 blockbuster ‘Dabangg’, has previously alleged that he was sidelined from the project after completing his work on the film. The sequel to ‘Dabangg’ was later directed by Arbaaz Khan.