Former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officer Sameer Wankhede has filed a legal case against the makers of The Ba**ds of Bollywood. He approached the Delhi High Court, claiming the recently released Netflix series has misrepresented him and harmed his reputation.
The web series, directed by Aryan Khan, debuted on September 18. Aryan, son of Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan, released the project under Red Chillies Entertainment. The show has received positive reviews, but Wankhede says some of its content is defamatory.
Wankhede and Aryan have a history. In October 2021, Wankhede led a raid on a Mumbai cruise where Aryan was arrested. Later, a special investigation team cleared Aryan of serious charges and also noted irregularities in the raid. This case has kept both names in the spotlight.
According to reports, Wankhede has filed a ₹2 crore defamation suit against Netflix, Red Chillies Entertainment, and others. He has said that if he is awarded damages, the amount will be donated to Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital.
The petition highlights certain sequences in The Ba**ds of Bollywood. One shows a narcotics officer shouting “Satyamev Jayate” during a raid and being shown the middle finger.
Wankhede argues this disrespects the national motto. Another scene shows the officer lecturing on drugs, slapping an actor, and mocking Bollywood stars. Wankhede claims these depictions directly target him and lower the credibility of anti-drug authorities.
He also argued that the show was made with the intent to prejudice public opinion against him. With the earlier drugs-on-cruise case still under legal scrutiny, he says the series is both unfair and irresponsible.
The Delhi High Court has accepted the plea and will hear the matter in the coming weeks. The outcome of this case could set an important precedent for how creative projects portray real-life figures.
