Sameer Wankhede sues Shah Rukh Khan’s Red Chillies for ₹2 crore over Netflix show ‘The Ba***ds Of Bollywood’
In his suit, seeking ₹2 crore in damages, Sameer Wankhede alleged that the Netflix series disseminates a ‘false, malicious, and defamatory’ portrayal of anti-drug enforcement agencies.
Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer Sameer Wankhede has filed a defamation suit in the Delhi High Court against Red Chillies Entertainment Limited, owned by actor Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan, over their son Aryan Khan's directorial debut series “Ba***ds of Bollywood”.
According to a report by the Hindustan Times, Wankhede – in his lawsuit, seeking ₹2 crore in damages – alleged that the Aryan Khan-directed Netflix series “contains false, malicious, and defamatory content aimed at damaging his reputation”.
The IRS officer has proposed to donate the amount to Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital for the treatment of cancer patients.
Who is Sameer Wankhede?
Sameer Wankhede is an IRS officer and former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Mumbai zonal director. He has headed high-profile anti-narcotics investigations, including one involving Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan.
“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 actor Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan, the OTT platform, Netflix and others, having been aggrieved by a false, malicious, and defamatory video produced by Red Chillies and broadcast by Netflix as part of their television series titled The Ba***ds of Bollywood,” read a statement by the IRS officer, reported HT.
Wankhede's claims
- Wankhede alleged that one particular scene from the “Ba***ds of Bollywood” 'mocks' him.
- The lawsuit also questioned a character “making an obscene gesture – specifically, showing a middle finger after the character recites the slogan Satyamev Jayate”.
- Sameer Wankhede also alleged that the series portrays “anti-drug enforcement agencies” in a negative light.
The Ba***ds of Bollywood
Released on September 18 on Netflix, Ba***ds of Bollywood, directed by Aryan Khan, stars Lakshya, Sahher Bambba, Raghav, Bobby, Manoj Pahwa, and Anya Singh in lead roles.
In the series, scene from The Bads of Bollywood, where Karan Johar claims to have saved Ranveer Singh's career even got netizens talking.
Sameer Wankhede and Aryan Khan
In his plea, Wankhede also pointed out that the legal case concerning him and “The Ba***ds of Bollywood” director Aryan Khan is still pending before the Bombay High Court and the NDPS Special Court in Mumbai.
The case dates back to October 2021, when Aryan Khan's name surfaced in a high-profile drugs case after the NCB raided a rave party on the Goa-bound Cordelia Empress cruise ship off Mumbai's coast.
The luxury cruise, headed for Lakshadweep, grabbed national attention after Aryan Khan, his friend Arbaaz Merchant, and several others were taken into custody. Aryan was later arrested by the NCB team, led at the time by then zonal director Sameer Wankhede — who now seeks ₹2 crore compensation over defamatory content.
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