The Delhi High Court on Thursday rejected a defamation lawsuit filed by Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer Sameer Wankhede against the Netflix series ‘Ba***ds of Bollywood’,directed by Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan.
Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav pronounced the order saying that the Delhi High Court lacks territorial jurisdiction to entertain the plaint. The court returned the suit to Wankhede, granting him liberty to approach a court in Mumbai, where the events and production are primarily connected.
Wankhede, a former Zonal Director of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), had alleged that a scene in the satirical series depicted a character resembling him in a ridiculing and defamatory manner. He sought ₹2 crore in damages, an injunction to restrain further dissemination of the allegedly defamatory content, and directions for its removal from the platform.
The suit stemmed from Wankhede’s high-profile involvement in the 2021 Mumbai cruise drug raid, which led to the arrest of Aryan Khan under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Aryan Khan was later acquitted, and the case drew widespread media attention amid allegations and counter-allegations.
During hearings, defendants, including Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan’s production banner Red Chillies Entertainment and Netflix, argued that the series is a work of satire and parody, protected under freedom of expression. They pointed out that it broadly critiques Bollywood practices such as nepotism, casting couch issues, MeToo allegations, drug abuse, and insider-outsider debates, with self-referential humour.
Senior Advocate Rajiv Nayar, representing Netflix, emphasized that “everybody has been painted with some side of parody or satire.” Red Chillies further submitted that Wankhede’s reputation had already been subject to public scrutiny due to separate CBI proceedings against him involving allegations of criminal conspiracy and extortion.
On the other side, Wankhede’s counsel, Senior Advocate J Sai Deepak, contended that the portrayal was motivated by malice and vendetta, targeting a public servant despite his exemplary service record. He argued that the satire defence is not absolute and that the production house, described as a “big giant,” had deliberately maligned his client.
The court, however, did not delve into the merits of the defamation claim or artistic freedom arguments in its final order, focusing solely on the jurisdictional issue. The plaint was dismissed on these technical grounds, with any pending applications also disposed of.
The Ba**ds of Bollywood* marks Aryan Khan’s directorial debut and features an ensemble cast including Bobby Deol, Lakshya, Sahher Bambba, Manoj Pahwa, Mona Singh, and others. The series explores the underbelly of the Hindi film industry through the journey of an outsider chasing dreams amid glamour and chaos.
This order provides relief to the makers and platform, allowing the show to continue streaming without immediate legal impediments from this suit. Wankhede may approach a court in Mumbai with his plea.
