Aryan Khan series row: Delhi HC summons Netflix, Red Chillies, tech giants in Sameer Wankhede suit

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has issued summons to Netflix, Red Chillies Entertainment, Meta, Google, and other entities in a defamation lawsuit filed by the Indian Revenue Service (IRS) and former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) zonal director Sameer Wankhede. 

According to news reports, the suit targets the Netflix series "Ba***ds of Bollywood," directed by Aryan Khan, son of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, alleging it falsely maligns Wankhede and undermines anti-drug enforcement agencies. 

Wankhede, who previously headed the Narcotics Control Bureau's (NCB) Mumbai zonal unit, is seeking Rs 2 crore in damages, which he has pledged to donate to the Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital if awarded. 

The defendants include Red Chillies Entertainment, owned by Shah Rukh Khan and his wife Gauri Khan; Netflix; X (formerly Twitter); Google; Meta Platforms; and RPG Lifestyle Media.

The case stems from the series' alleged depiction of Wankhede in a "misleading and negative" light, including a character who makes an obscene gesture while reciting "Satyamev Jayate," the motto from India's National Emblem, which Wankhede claims violates the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, as well as provisions under the Information Technology Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. 

In his plea, Wankhede argues that the show was "deliberately conceptualised and executed with the intent to malign" his reputation and erode public confidence in law enforcement. 

He also highlighted social media fallout, telling the court that posts are trolling him, his wife, and his sister, exacerbating the damage. 

Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav, presiding over the case, issued the summons on October 8 and directed the defendants to file their replies within seven days. 

The matter is scheduled for further hearing on October 30, 2025. 

 While acknowledging that Wankhede had "cause" to approach the court, Justice Kaurav noted that "there are some processes that we need to follow" and declined to grant an interim order to remove alleged defamatory content from websites and social media platforms at this stage. 

 The judge also remarked that the case "could have wider ramifications." 

The lawsuit revives memories of the 2021 Cordelia cruise ship drug bust, where Wankhede led the NCB raid that resulted in Aryan Khan's arrest on drug-related charges. 

Aryan was detained for nearly a month before being granted bail, and in 2022, the NCB cleared him, stating no drugs were found on him. 

The incident sparked widespread controversy, with allegations of political motivations and extortion attempts against the Khan family, though Wankhede has denied any wrongdoing.

"Ba***ds of Bollywood," produced by Red Chillies and streamed on Netflix, is Aryan Khan's directorial debut and reportedly offers a satirical take on the Hindi film industry. 

Wankhede's suit claims the series' portrayal of events and characters draws directly from the 2021 case, painting him as corrupt and incompetent.