'The Ba***ds of Bollywood': Summons to Shah Rukh Khan's Red Chillies, Netflix in Sameer Wankhede's Defamation Case
Sameer Wankhede had sought an injunction and take-down of scenes allegedly portraying him in the Aryan Khan-directed Netflix series 'The Ba***ds of Bollywood'.
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued summons to streaming giant Netflix, Shah Rukh Khan's Red Chillies Entertainment, and others in a defamation suit filed by Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer Sameer Wankhede.
Wankhede, a former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Mumbai zonal director, had sought an injunction and take-down of scenes allegedly portraying him in the Aryan Khan-directed Netflix series The Ba***ds of Bollywood.
According to Bar and Bench, the Delhi HC also issued summons to Google, X Corp and Meta, seeking their responses to the defamation suit. Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav issued summons and said, "Let them take instructions and file a reply. Cannot pass an injunction order in general."
The high court has asked the respondents to file their replies within seven days and the matter will be heard next on October 30.
Wankhede, in his former capacity as the Zonal Director of the NCB in Mumbai, led the 2021 raid on a cruise ship that resulted in Aryan's arrest in a drug possession case. In a plea before the Delhi High Court, Wankhede has claimed that the series maligns his reputation and belittles anti-drug enforcement agencies. He has sought ₹2 crore in damages, which he has pledged to donate to charity.
A statement on his behalf said the series “disseminates a misleading and negative portrayal of anti-drug enforcement agencies, thereby eroding public confidence in law enforcement institutions.” It added that the show was “deliberately conceptualised and executed with the intent to malign Sameer Wankhede’s reputation.”
The first episode of The Ba***ds of Bollywood introduces a character, an anti-drug officer, who netizens felt resembled Wankhede.
Released on September 18, The Ba***ds of Bollywood featured Lakshya Lalwani, Sahher Bambba, Bobby Deol, Raghav Juyal, Anya Singh, Manish Chaudhari, Mona Singh, Manoj Pahwa, Gautami Kapoor and Rajat Bedi. The series is produced by Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan's Red Chillies Entertainment.