Red Chillies Entertainment, the production company founded by Shah Rukh Khan, has formally requested the Delhi High Court to dismiss a defamation lawsuit filed by former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officer Sameer Wankhede. The company’s argument centers on the assertion that Wankhede’s public image was already negatively impacted by widespread criticism and ridicule before the release of the Netflix series “Ba**ds of Bollywood.”
The series in question was created, co-written, and directed by Aryan Khan, Shah Rukh Khan’s son. Aryan Khan had been arrested by Wankhede during an NCB raid on a cruise ship in 2021. Notably, Aryan Khan and five others were later cleared of charges by the NCB in 2022.
In its official response, submitted earlier in October, Red Chillies Entertainment described the series as a satirical commentary on the Bollywood industry, set against the backdrop of Mumbai. The company emphasized that the characters’ portrayals are intended for humor and to highlight societal absurdities, thus falling under protected artistic expression, parody, and satire. They contend that Wankhede’s suit is an attempt to suppress legitimate artistic freedom and stems from his own hypersensitivity.
Red Chillies Entertainment’s filing specifically stated, “It is also submitted that even before the release of ‘Ba***ds of Bollywood’, the plaintiff was already the subject of public ridicule and adverse commentary. The plaintiff’s involvement in the aforementioned FIR had attracted significant public attention and criticism, as is clearly demonstrated by numerous social media posts, news articles, and public discourse surrounding the allegations. These materials establish that the plaintiff’s reputation had already been adversely affected in the public domain well before the release of the said series.” The company further argued that Wankhede, possessing an already controversial public image, is using defamation proceedings to silence creative and humorous portrayals.
Wankhede had initially approached the court seeking the removal of specific content from the first episode of the series, which he claims features a character closely resembling him in appearance and mannerisms, thereby deliberately maligning his reputation.
In his rebuttal, filed on October 19, Wankhede countered that since the series’ release, he has endured continued public ridicule and disparagement, causing irreparable harm to his reputation. He criticized Red Chillies Entertainment for justifying their actions instead of showing empathy towards a government officer.
The case was heard by Justice Purushindra Kumar Kaurav, who adjourned the proceedings to November 10. All parties involved, including Red Chillies, Netflix, and Sameer Wankhede, have been granted time to submit their final written arguments.
Red Chillies Entertainment was represented by senior advocates Neeraj Kishan Kaul and Shyel Trehan. Netflix was represented by senior advocate Rajiv Nayyar, and Wankhede by senior advocate J Sai Deepak.
Red Chillies Entertainment further argued that the specific clip Wankhede wishes to remove is integral to the series’ narrative. Removing it, they contended, would disrupt the storyline and compromise the overall integrity of the series. They also noted that the police officer character in the series is depicted as merely “overzealous” and is not explicitly named.