The City Civil Court in Mumbai restrained filmmaker Abhinav Kashyap and YouTube hosts of Bollywood Thikana from making or circulating defamatory statements about Salman Khan and his family. The court barred all ‘derogatory’ remarks amid the defamation row.
The City Civil Court in Mumbai issued a restraining order against filmmaker Abhinav Kashyap and the YouTube hosts of the channel Bollywood Thikana, prohibiting them from making or disseminating defamatory statements about Bollywood actor Khan and his family.
This interim ruling was part of a defamation lawsuit initiated by Khan, who alleged that Kashyap made derogatory remarks during a series of interviews and podcasts.
The channel, which is managed by Komal Mehru and hosted by Khushboo Hazare, had shared these interviews across YouTube and other social media platforms.
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Justice PG Bhosale noted that the statements highlighted by Khan were “defamatory, derogatory, abusive and insulting in nature and harmful to the reputation of the plaintiff.” The court concluded that such comments diminished Khan’s public image.
As a result, it dismissed Kashyap’s argument for protection under the premise of free speech.
The court stated,
“Each individual has his privacy and image to be protected. The argument that Kashyap has a right to freedom of speech and expression cannot be accepted.”
Consequently, the court forbade Kashyap and the channel hosts from creating, uploading, or sharing any defamatory or slanderous content regarding Khan or his family on social media platforms.
On the subject of freedom of expression, the court remarked,
“Nobody can make and nobody should make defamatory statements against the family of anybody.”
The court emphasized that “no one has the right to make defamatory statements about anyone’s family.”
Every individual is entitled to privacy and their image must be safeguarded, the court noted.
Regarding the issue of freedom of speech and expression, the court clarified that this right does not grant individuals the ability to use abusive or threatening language against others.
Consequently, it temporarily prohibited Kashyap and others from creating, posting, re-posting, interviewing, communicating, uploading, printing, publishing, or circulating any further defamatory or slanderous content.
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They are also barred from making any derogatory comments, posts, messages, tweets, videos, or communications related to the plaintiff or his family on any social media platforms until they respond and submit their reply.
For Salman Khan, advocates PD Gandhy, Parag Khandhar, Chandrima Mitra, Tapan Radkar, and Zara Dhanbhoora represented him through the law firm DSK Legal. Kashyap, Mehru, and Hazare were represented by advocates Parth Jain, Ansh Agal, Aditi Pareek, and Pranali Mitbhaokar from Jain Law Partners LLP. Advocates Amishí Sodani and Charu Shukla represented Google LLC, while advocates Rishabh Jaisani, Richa Bharti, and Abhishek Mookherjee, briefed by Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas, represented Meta Inc.
Case Title: Salman Khan v. Abhinav Kashyap & Ors.
