Former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) zonal director Sameer Wankhede has approached the Delhi High Court to halt the release of Aryan Khan's much-hyped directorial debut, the Netflix series 'The B***ds of Bollywood'. The suit accuses the production of crafting a caricatured depiction of Wankhede that he alleges is deeply defamatory and ruins his reputation.
Wankhede, who spearheaded the high-profile 2021 raid on a Mumbai cruise ship that led to Aryan Khan's brief arrest in a drug-related probe. That had stoked a showdown between the Bollywood superstar and the NCB officer. Eventually Aryan came out clean in the case. While Shah Rukh Khan never publicly said it, yet it was largely questioned by many if Aryan was a victim of vested interest. Produced under Shah Rukh Khan's Red Chillies Entertainment banner, Aryan’s series features a character eerily mirroring his likeness and professional conduct. In the first episode of the series an officer from a similar anti drug bureau, looking similar to Wankhede was seen raiding a Bollywood party and eventually arrested someone who wasn’t consuming drugs. That had triggered buzz on social media if this was a response of Aryan to the allegations against him, even as he had never issued any statement on the matter. The featured character, bespectacled enforcement officer in a satirical light, complete with exaggerated mannerisms that Wankhede's legal team argues cross into outright mockery.
Filed on Thursday in the Delhi High Court, the defamation complaint names a slew of respondents, including Aryan Khan as director and co-producer, streaming giant Netflix Entertainment Services India, Red Chillies Entertainment Pvt Ltd, and even Shah Rukh Khan's wife, Gauri Khan, in her capacity as a key stakeholder. Wankhede's plea demands an immediate and permanent injunction to prevent the series' premiere, alongside substantial damages for what he describes as "malicious and fabricated" content designed to "vilify" him publicly.
"This portrayal is not mere fiction; it's a targeted assault on my dignity and legacy as an officer of the law," Wankhede stated through his advocates, emphasising the timing. The suit further contends that the narrative draws direct parallels to the 2021 incident, where Aryan was arrested for nearly a month before being cleared of charges, an episode that thrust the Khan family into a media maelstrom.
Legal observers note that the case could test the boundaries between artistic license and personal libel in India's booming OTT landscape. Netflix, known for bold storytelling, has yet to issue an official response, but sources close to the production insist the series is a fictional satire on Tinseltown's power dynamics, not a biographical hit job. Red Chillies Entertainment, meanwhile, has maintained a stoic silence, with industry insiders speculating that the controversy might inadvertently boost viewership.
Aryan Khan, the 28-year-old scion stepping out from his father's colossal shadow, has forayed into the industry with 'The B***ds of Bollywood’, a multi-episode drama blending glamour, grit, and insider jabs at the industry's elite. The series has cameos from several superstars including Shah Rukh Khan himself, Salman Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Ranveer Singh amongst others.
