New Delhi: Former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officer Sameer Wankhede has moved the Delhi High Court against Shah Rukh Khan and his production company Red Chillies Entertainment over his alleged portrayal in the Netflix web series The Ba**ds of Bollywood*, directed by Aryan Khan.
Defamation suit seeks damages and injunction
In his petition, Wankhede has sought ₹2 crore in damages from Shah Rukh Khan, Red Chillies Entertainment, and Netflix, alleging that the series contains defamatory content aimed at tarnishing his reputation. He stated that the damages, if awarded, would be donated to the Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital for the treatment of cancer patients.
The plea also seeks a permanent and mandatory injunction to restrain the streaming of the alleged objectionable content.
Wankhede’s statement on the series
Issuing a detailed statement, Wankhede said:
“Sameer Wankhede, IRS Officer, has filed a defamation suit before the Delhi High Court seeking reliefs in the nature of permanent and mandatory injunction, declaration, and damages against Red Chillies Entertainment Pvt Ltd, owned by actor Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan, the OTT platform Netflix and others, having been aggrieved by a false, malicious, and defamatory video produced by Red Chillies and broadcast by Netflix.”
He further alleged that the series projects anti-drug enforcement agencies in a “misleading and negative” manner, thereby eroding public trust in law enforcement institutions.
What the series depicted
The first episode of The Ba**ds of Bollywood*, which began streaming on September 18, shows a character allegedly modelled after Wankhede arriving at a Bollywood party in search of celebrities consuming drugs. Social media users quickly drew parallels between the character and Wankhede, fuelling debate over whether the portrayal was targeted.
The series also shows the character making an obscene gesture—raising a middle finger after uttering “Satyamev Jayate.” Wankhede argued that this constitutes a violation of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, and attracts penal consequences.
Pending legal cases
Wankhede noted that his defamation claim comes at a time when the Aryan Khan drug case remains sub judice before the Bombay High Court and the NDPS Special Court in Mumbai. He called the series a “colourable and prejudicial attempt” to malign him while legal proceedings are ongoing.
Background of the Aryan Khan case
The controversy traces back to October 3, 2021, when Aryan Khan, along with Ayaaz Merchant and Munmun Dhamecha, was arrested during an NCB raid on a cruise ship. They were accused of possessing and consuming banned substances. The case, led by Wankhede, put him in the national spotlight. Aryan Khan spent 25 days in jail before being granted bail.
In May 2022, all charges against Aryan Khan were dropped, while Wankhede himself was removed from the case following accusations of blackmail.
Conclusion
With Wankhede’s defamation suit now before the Delhi High Court, the case is set to reopen debates around the Aryan Khan investigation and the portrayal of real-life figures in films and web series. The verdict on whether Netflix and Red Chillies must pull down or alter the series will likely set a significant precedent for biographical depictions in Indian OTT content.