New Delhi: The controversy around Netflix’s “The Bads of Bollywood” has escalated as former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officer Sameer Wankhede filed a defamation suit in the Delhi High Court against Red Chillies Entertainment, owned by Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan, along with Netflix and associated producers. The series, directed by Aryan Khan, has been accused of portraying Wankhede in a “false, malicious, and defamatory” light, undermining his professional integrity and ongoing legal cases.
In his petition, Wankhede has sought a permanent injunction, declaratory relief, and ₹2 crore in damages, stating that the amount—if awarded—would be donated to the Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital. He contends that the series not only distorts the role of anti-drug enforcement agencies but also directly mirrors his persona, including a viral scene where a character invokes “Satyamev Jayate” before making an obscene gesture. Wankhede argues that this act constitutes a violation of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, besides breaching provisions of the Information Technology Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The series has already sparked wider debates, with the National Human Rights Commission earlier questioning the depiction of smoking without disclaimers. Wankhede’s lawsuit now raises larger questions about the limits of artistic freedom versus individual reputation and the sanctity of national symbols.
The Delhi High Court is expected to hear arguments in the coming days, a case that may set an important precedent for how OTT platforms dramatize real-life figures while balancing creative liberty and accountability.
