Aryan Khan’s much-awaited directorial debut, The Ba***ds of Bollywood, recently premiered on Netflix. The show made headlines for a number of reasons. However, one scene particularly caught attention and sparked controversy after netizens pointed out that one of the characters bore a striking resemblance to former Narcotics Control Bureau officer Sameer Wankhede. For the unversed, Sameer arrested Aryan in an alleged drug case back in 2021. According to latest reports, Sameer has now taken legal action against the scene by filing a defamation case against both Aryan and Red Chillies Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., which is owned by Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan.
Wankhede sues Aryan Khan and Shah Rukh Khan for defamation
Sameer has allegedly called Aryan`s show `false, malicious, and defamatory.` He further claimed that the series “disseminates a misleading and negative portrayal of anti-drug enforcement agencies, thereby eroding public confidence in law enforcement institutions.”
In the plea filed, Wankhede claimed that the series has been “deliberately conceptualised and executed with the intent to malign Sameer Wankhede’s reputation in a colourable and prejudicial manner.”
Additionally, a statement from Wankhede further claimed, “Furthermore, the series, inter alia, depicts a character making an obscene gesture—specifically, showing a middle finger after the character recites the slogan `Satyamev Jayate`, which is part of the National Emblem. This act constitutes a grave and sensitive violation of the provisions of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, which attracts penal consequences under law,” a statement from Wankhede read.
Wankhede has claimed damages worth Rs 2 crore, which he has proposed to donate to Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital for the treatment of cancer patients.
The Ba***ds of Bollywood scene
The scene in contention includes a loud officer stepping out of a police jeep at a party. He can be seen ranting about a `war against drugs` and claiming the entire film industry is influenced by substance abuse. He introduces himself as part of the ‘war against drugs’ and ‘NCG,’ as he arrives dressed in a white shirt, dark pants, and short hair bearing a striking resemblance to Wankhede.
The officer first spots a man smoking a joint. However, he gets irritated upon learning that he isn’t from Bollywood before letting him go. He then notices a man drinking next to him and nabs him, although he is not indulging in drugs, merely because he is from Bollywood.
