The series, directed by Shah Rukh’s son Aryan Khan and streamed on Netflix, allegedly shows content that Wankhede calls “false, malicious, and defamatory.”
File Photo
Imagine a courtroom drama that reads like a Netflix plot. This time, real life meets reel life. IRS officer Sameer Wankhede has moved the Delhi High Court, claiming that ‘The Ba***ds of Bollywood’ on Netflix has harmed his reputation.
The series, directed by Shah Rukh’s son Aryan Khan and streamed on Netflix, allegedly shows content that Wankhede calls “false, malicious, and defamatory.”
Advertisement
Wankhede has filed a defamation plea against Red Chillies Entertainment, Netflix, and others, seeking a permanent injunction, legal declaration, and damages of ₹2 crore. He says he wants to donate the money to the Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital for cancer patients.
Advertisement
His claim revolves around the depiction of a character making a middle-finger gesture while reciting “Satyamev Jayate,” which he argues is disrespectful to the National Emblem and violates the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act of 1971.
On Friday, Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav raised questions about the very foundation of the case. The court asked Wankhede how the plea could be maintained in Delhi when the alleged offense occurred elsewhere.
Wankhede’s lawyer, Sandeep Sethi, argued that since the series online and accessible to viewers in Delhi, his client experienced defamation in the national capital. The court requested Wankhede to amend the plea to clearly demonstrate that the cause of action actually arose in Delhi.
The officer’s petition further states that the web series deliberately attempted to harm his reputation, particularly while his ongoing case with Aryan Khan is still under judicial review in Mumbai’s NDPS Special Court and the Bombay High Court.
Wankhede contends that the portrayal in the show crosses legal boundaries set by both the Information Technology Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Red Chillies Entertainment and Netflix have not publicly commented on the matter yet.
Advertisement
