Sameer Wankhede has filed a defamation case against Aryan Khan and Red Chillies. (Photo: X/Sameer Wankhede, @imashishsrrk)
Everything has started when Aryan Khan’s directorial venture The Ba**ds of Bollywood* was released on Netflix, it has remained under media scrutiny. Now, the series has sparked a legal battle too, after former Narcotics Control Bureau officer Sameer Wankhede filed a defamation suit against Aryan Khan and the makers, Red Chillies Entertainment.
On Wednesday, Shah Rukh Khan-owned Red Chillies Entertainment objected to Sameer Wankhede’s plea in the Delhi High Court for interim injunction on the streaming of The Ba**ds of Bollywood*.
Senior advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul, who appeared for Red Chillies, argued that satire and fiction can coexist. “I may be partly inspired by real persons and stories, yet disclaimers clarify the difference. Where is the ill-will or malice? This is about a success story in a Bollywood party,” Kaul said.
He added, “The series deals with 20 different issues in Bollywood. We do not show a documentary on the Cordelia cruise incident. Being inspired by overzealous officers does not mean that the series depicts that case.”
Aryan Khan was embroiled in a high-profile drugs case following the raid of the Narcotics Control Bureau at a rave party on board the Goa-bound Cordelia Empress cruise ship in 2021. The investigation had been headed by then NCB Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede. Aryan Khan spent almost three weeks in jail before he was released for lack of evidence and later given a clean chit.
The legal battle is an offshoot of the October 2021 Cordelia cruise case. Aryan’s Netflix show reportedly contains satire on Bollywood culture and overzealous officers. Wankhede contends that a scene, particularly in the series, shows him in a poor light. Thus, he filed a defamation suit in September 2025 against Aryan Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Gauri Khan, Red Chillies Entertainment, and Netflix. He is seeking damages and declarations, alleging the show contains malicious content.
Kranti Redkar Wankhede, Wankhede’s wife, also criticized the series on social media.
The next hearing is scheduled for Thursday at the Delhi High Court, where the arguments of Netflix will be heard. The court will then decide whether the show can continue streaming or whether interim measures need to be taken. The case has generated considerable interest in Bollywood circles and mainstream media.
Kaul said, “The series uses exaggeration to tell a story. Every scene is exaggerated. We are not ridiculing him personally or the official emblem. The show talks about officers with lofty ideas.”
He continued to defend creative freedom, adding, “Even if an official is portrayed unjustly, it does not constitute a legal case. Public officials must accept that fiction may depict certain aspects of their work.”
Counsel appearing for Red Chillies argued that the series deals with multiple issues relating to the industry and no single incident. “We are not making a documentary on the Cordelia cruise case,” Kaul said. Hurt feelings alone are insufficient to prove malice or defamation.
Counsel further assailed Wankhede for making public statements after the Netflix release, stating filmmakers cannot be blamed for statements to the media.
The Ba**ds of Bollywood* is an Indian Hindi-language satirical action-comedy-drama series created, co-written, and directed by Aryan Khan. Produced by Gauri Khan under Red Chillies Entertainment, it stars Bobby Deol, Lakshya Lalwani, Raghav Juyal, Sahher Bambba, Anya Singh, and others. The show explores Bollywood culture, nepotism, substance abuse, and power struggles with fictional and exaggerated narratives.
After its release, it became mired in controversy for a while over a scene showing Ranbir Kapoor consuming a banned electronic cigarette without statutory warnings, with the National Human Rights Commission filing a complaint. Sameer Wankhede filed a defamation suit claiming the show parodies him with the character of a “corrupt cop” who raids a yacht party and arrests a Bollywood star, mirroring the 2021 Cordelia cruise case.
Aryan Khan was arrested on October 3, 2021, by NCB Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede in the Cordelia cruise drugs bust. Aryan was released on bail later, along with other accused, for lack of sufficient evidence. Wankhede has a pending CBI probe against him on alleged bribery related to the case. He also allegedly received death threats, for which a police investigation was launched.
The Netflix series came into the controversy when the clip which shows a cop arresting a young star in the Bollywood party went viral, and netizens have speculated that Aryan Khan took a dig at Sameer Wankhede. After this, Wankhede filed a defamation case seeking ₹2 crore damages to be donated to Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital, saying the parody was false, malicious and defamatory.
Sofia Babu Chacko is a journalist with over five years of experience covering Indian politics, crime, human rights, gender issues, and stories about marginalized communities. She believes that every voice matters, and journalism has a vital role to play in amplifying those voices. Sofia is committed to creating impact and shedding light on stories that truly matter. Beyond her work in the newsroom, she is also a music enthusiast who enjoys singing.
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