Sameer Wankhede Takes Legal Action Against SRK's Red Chillies Over 'The Bads Of Bollywood'
Ex-narcotics officer Sameer Wankhede sued Red Chillies Entertainment and Gauri Khan for defamation over their Netflix series, alleging it maligns his image and undermines anti-drug efforts.
Ex-narcotics officer Sameer Wankhede has filed a defamation suit against Red Chillies Entertainment and Gauri Khan over their alleged portrayal of him in the Netflix series The Ba**ds of Bollywood*. The web series, marking the directorial debut of Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan, has drawn widespread attention since its release.
Wankhede has demanded damages of Rs 2 crore, stating that the full amount will be donated to Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital for the treatment of cancer patients.
Wankhede claims the series was “deliberately conceptualised and executed” to malign his image in a “colourable and prejudicial manner.”
Sameer Wankhede Alleges Defamatory Portrayal
In a 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 Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan, the OTT platform Netflix, and others, having been aggrieved by a false, malicious, and defamatory video produced and broadcast as part of The Ba**ds of Bollywood*.”
Wankhede further stated that the series “disseminates a misleading and negative portrayal of anti-drug enforcement agencies, thereby eroding public confidence in law enforcement institutions.”
Legal Action
Sameer Wankhede has approached the Delhi High Court seeking:
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Permanent and mandatory injunctions against the series and its producers
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Declaration of defamation
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Rs 2 crore in damages, intended for cancer patient treatment at Tata Memorial
This legal battle adds another layer of controversy to Aryan Khan’s directorial debut, which has already been making headlines for its bold content and star-studded cast.
Controversial Scenes in the Series
According to Wankhede, in the first episode, a character heavily inspired by him appears outside a Bollywood party searching for people from “Bollywood… who are doing drugs.” Social media has drawn parallels between Wankhede and this sequence, sparking widespread discussion.
He also highlighted another objectionable scene, where a character shows a middle finger while reciting the slogan “Satyamev Jayate”, which is part of India’s National Emblem. Wankhede called this a “grave and sensitive violation” of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, which carries legal consequences.
Additionally, he claimed the series contravenes several provisions of the Information Technology Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) by allegedly outraging national sentiment through obscene and offensive content.
Context Behind the Allegations
The series reportedly references the arrest of Aryan Khan, Ayaaz Merchant, and Munmun Dhamecha on October 3, 2021, by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) for possession, consumption, and sale/purchase of banned drugs. The arrests came after a cruise ship raid that allegedly seized narcotics, led by ex-NCB officer Sameer Wankhede. Aryan Khan spent 25 days in jail before being granted bail.
In May 2022, all charges against Aryan Khan were dropped, and Wankhede was removed from the case following allegations of blackmail. Wankhede claims that The Ba**ds of Bollywood* deliberately targets him while the related legal matters remain sub-judice before the Bombay High Court and the NDPS Special Court, Mumbai.
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