‘The Ba***ds of Bollywood’, Aryan Khan’s show, recently debuted on Netflix, and controversy erupted when viewers noticed a character closely resembling former Narcotics Control Bureau officer Sameer Wankhede, who arrested Aryan in a 2021 alleged drug case.Defamation suit targets Aryan Khan, Red Chillies and NetflixThe most recent development reveals that Wankhede has lodged a defamation lawsuit against Aryan, Red Chillies Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. (owned by Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan), and the global streaming service Netflix. Wankhede described Aryan’s show as “false, malicious, and defamatory.” He also stated that the series “disseminates a misleading and negative portrayal of anti-drug enforcement agencies, thereby eroding public confidence in law enforcement institutions.”Demand for Rs 2 crore in damages to support cancer patientsThe officer has sought Rs 2 crore in damages, which he plans to donate to the Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital to support cancer patients. In his statement, Wankhede claimed the series was “deliberately conceptualised and executed with the intent to malign Sameer Wankhede’s reputation in a colourable and prejudicial manner. Especially when the case involving Sameer Wankhede and Aryan Khan is pending and sub-judice before the Hon’ble Bombay High Court and the NDPS Special Court, Mumbai”.Obscene gesture sparks additional legal concernsThe statement further read, “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 the 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”.Controversial party scene depicting officer similar to Sameer WankhedeOne episode shows a loud officer stepping out of a police jeep at a party, ranting about a ‘war against drugs’ and claiming the entire film industry is plagued by substance abuse. Introducing himself as part of the ‘war against drugs’ and ‘NCG,’ he wears a white shirt, dark pants, and has short hair resembling Wankhede. The officer first spots a man smoking a joint but, upon realizing he isn’t from Bollywood, becomes irritated and lets him go. Later, he arrests another man who is only drinking alcohol, solely because he belongs to Bollywood.Wankhede’s rise to prominence following Aryan Khan’s arrestIn October 2021, Wankhede led the investigation that brought him into the spotlight when he arrested Aryan from the Cordelia Cruise ship off Mumbai’s coast following a tip-off about drug use onboard. Aryan was held in jail for a month before being granted bail. In 2023, the CBI filed a corruption case against Wankhede and four others for allegedly conspiring to extort ₹25 crore from the family of a person onboard the cruise ship in exchange for not booking him.
