Sameer Wankhede Sues Aryan Khan And Netflix Over ‘The Ba***Ds Of Bollywood’
Sameer Wankhede has filed a defamation suit against Aryan Khan, Red Chillies Entertainment and Netflix over ‘The Ba***ds of Bollywood’.
The release of Aryan Khan’s directorial debut ‘The Ba***ds of Bollywood’ has stirred up legal controversy. As per reports, former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officer Sameer Wankhede has filed a defamation suit against Aryan, his father and Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, Red Chillies Entertainment, and Netflix. The case, filed before the Delhi High Court, alleged that the series contains defamatory content that damages Sameer Wankhede’s reputation.
On Thursday, Sameer Wankhede moved the Delhi High Court seeking reliefs in the form of a “permanent and mandatory injunction, declaration, and damages”. He has requested an injunction on the series and demanded damages of Rs 2 crore, which he says should be donated to Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital for the treatment of cancer patients.
The defamation plea alleges that a particular scene in the show mocks Sameer Wankhede and portrays him in a false and malicious light. According to Wankhede, the scene projects “anti-drug enforcement agencies” negatively and undermines public confidence in law enforcement institutions. It further highlights a controversial scene where a character makes an obscene gesture –showing the middle finger – immediately after reciting the slogan Satyamev Jayate.
Speculation about Sameer Wankhede being depicted in the Netflix series has been rife since its release. Viewers were quick to point out the uncanny resemblance of one character introduced in the first episode: a stern officer stepping out of a police jeep, dressed in a white shirt and dark pants, lean in build, with short hair.
The character launches into a tirade about the film industry being riddled with drugs, claiming to be part of the “war against drugs” under an organisation referred to as “NCG.” Social media users suggested that the portrayal was a direct reference to Sameer Wankhede.
The controversy draws directly from the real-life 2021 drugs-on-cruise case, where Aryan Khan was arrested by the NCB during a raid on the Goa-bound Cordelia Empress cruise ship. Led by Sameer Wankhede, the operation resulted in Aryan’s arrest, alongside Arbaaz Merchant and others. Aryan spent over three weeks in jail before being released on bail and was later given a clean chit in the case.
Aryan’s series ‘The Ba***ds of Bollywood’, which premiered on September 18 on Netflix, stars Lakshya, Sahher Bambba, Raghav, Manoj Pahwa, Bobby, and Anya Singh in pivotal roles. The show also features cameos from Shah Rukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Emraan Hashmi, and Ranveer Singh.
Within its first week, the show recorded 2.8 million views globally and ranked number 4 among non-English language series, according to Netflix’s data platform Tudum.
