IRS officer Sameer Wankhede has filed a defamation suit against Aryan Khan’s web series ‘The Ba***ds of Bollywood’. Red Chillies Entertainment told the Delhi High Court the show is satire and fiction, not based on real events.
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Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s production house, Red Chillies Entertainment, has hit back at IRS officer Sameer Wankhede in the ongoing defamation case linked to Aryan Khan’s web series ‘The Ba***ds of Bollywood’.
The case was heard in the Delhi High Court on Wednesday, where Red Chillies’ senior advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul defended the series, saying it is a work of ‘satire and fiction’ and does not directly depict the infamous Cordelia cruise incident.
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Kaul argued, “Can satire and fiction co-exist? There is no law that says it cannot. A story may be partly inspired by real people or events, but disclaimers can exist. Where is the malice?”
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Kaul further explained that the show deals with multiple issues in Bollywood, not one specific incident. “We are not making a documentary on the Cordelia cruise case,” he said. “The series is inspired by overzealous officers, yes, but that doesn’t mean it is that story.”
He also countered Wankhede’s claim that the show mocks him personally, saying hurt feelings are not enough to prove malice or defamation. “Even if a person is sensitive, it cannot form the basis for a case. The series has 20 different storylines,” Kaul said.
Kaul also criticised Wankhede for his media interactions noting that the officer has openly discussed the issues after the Netflix series release. “I cannot be responsible for what others say. I am fully entitled to highlight issues in Bollywood,” he told the court.
The legal battle stems from the October 2021 Cordelia cruise case, when Aryan Khan, son of Shah Rukh Khan, was arrested in a high-profile drugs investigation led by Sameer Wankhede. Aryan spent over three weeks in jail but was later given a clean chit.
Since then, Aryan’s Netflix series has drawn attention for its bold satire on Bollywood culture, particularly the role of strict or overzealous officers. Wankhede claims that a particular scene in the show defames him portraying him in a negative light.
In September, Wankhede filed a defamation suit against Aryan, Shah Rukh Khan, Gauri Khan, Red Chillies Entertainment, Netflix. He sought injunctions, declarations, damages. The suit alleges that the series contains false and malicious content aimed at tarnishing his reputation.
Earlier, Sameer Wankhede’s wife Kranti Redkar Wankhede had also taken a dig against the show.
Kaul emphasized that the series uses exaggeration to tell its story. “Every scene in this show is exaggerated. I am not ridiculing him personally or the official emblem. I am talking about officers with lofty ideas,” he said.
The advocate also defended the creative freedom of filmmakers. “Even if an official is portrayed unjustly, it is not a legal case. Public officials must accept that creative works may depict certain aspects of their work.”
Red Chillies’ argument focused on the idea that fiction and real-life inspiration can coexist. The counsel stressed that disclaimers in creative content make it clear that stories are not documentaries.
The Delhi High Court has scheduled the next hearing for Thursday, during which arguments from Netflix will be heard. The court will decide whether the show can continue streaming or if any interim measures are necessary.
Meanwhile, the case continues to draw attention in both Bollywood circles and the media.
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