Former Narcotics Control Bureau officer Sameer Wankhede has filed a INR 20 million defamation lawsuit against Netflix series The Ba***ds of Bollywood, alleging it maligns his role in the 2021 Aryan Khan drug case.
The suit, filed on September 25, 2025, in Delhi High Court, targets Red Chillies Entertainment, produced by Shah Rukh and Gauri Khan, and Netflix. Wankhede, who led the Mumbai cruise raid leading to Aryan’s arrest under the NDPS Act, claims the series, Aryan’s directorial debut, mocks him. The case remains pending in court.
Wankhede alleges the series’ narcotics officer, seen as his caricature, invokes “Satyamev Jayate” at a Bollywood party, faces defiance, and violates the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971. Another scene shows the officer slap an actor, eroding trust in anti-narcotics agencies and prejudicing his trial.
Seeking INR 20 million, Wankhede plans to donate proceeds to Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital, decrying the “irresponsible” depiction. Netflix and Red Chillies are yet to comment.
The clash underscores tensions between Bollywood’s creative liberties and law enforcement’s sensitivities. Legal experts predict a swift hearing, potentially shaping future portrayals of real events.
