A Delhi High Court bench on Thursday took up former Narcotics Control Bureau officer Sameer Wankhede’s defamation lawsuit against Aryan Khan’s Netflix documentary series The Ba**ds of Bollywood*. The courtroom buzzed with quiet tension as lawyers sparred over free speech, reputation, and the limits of creative expression.
Background
Wankhede, now serving as an Indian Revenue Service officer, came into public glare during the 2021 cruise drug raid that saw Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan briefly jailed. The new Netflix show-directed by Aryan himself and produced by Red Chillies Entertainment-revisits that period, painting anti-narcotics officers in what Wankhede calls a “false and malicious light.”
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His petition, filed earlier this week, demands ₹2 crore in damages from Red Chillies, its owners Shah Rukh and Gauri Khan, as well as Netflix and a few unnamed collaborators. Interestingly, Wankhede has said that if damages are granted, the money should go to Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital. “This isn’t about enrichment,” his counsel argued, “but about protecting the dignity of an officer who served his country.”
Court’s Observations
The single-judge bench did not hide its concern over the reach of streaming platforms. “Digital content travels faster than a wildfire,” the judge remarked, adding that reputations can be harmed long before a final verdict is delivered. At the same time, the court underlined the constitutional importance of artistic freedom.
Counsel for Netflix countered that the series is “a work of creative commentary, not a biopic,” and urged the court to view it as a fictionalised narrative. The bench observed, “There is a fine line between freedom of expression and defamation. We will examine whether that line has been crossed here.”
When Wankhede’s lawyer highlighted ongoing proceedings in the Bombay High Court concerning the 2021 case, the judge nodded but said, “Pending trials cannot automatically gag a film or series. The question is whether deliberate malice is evident.”
Decision
After a brief but intense exchange, the court declined to grant an immediate injunction stopping the show’s broadcast but issued notices to all respondents-Aryan Khan, Red Chillies Entertainment, and Netflix-seeking their replies within four weeks. The matter will next be heard in late October.
“The bench observed, ‘We are not inclined to pass a blanket order today. However, the defendants must answer the allegations in detail,’” noting that the balance between free expression and an individual’s reputation “requires careful calibration.” With that, the hearing wrapped, leaving both parties preparing for a larger legal battle ahead.
Case Title: Sameer Wankhede vs Aryan Khan & Others – Delhi High Court Defamation Suit
Petitioner: Sameer Wankhede, Indian Revenue Service officer and former NCB Mumbai Zonal Director
Respondents: Aryan Khan (director), Red Chillies Entertainment (producers Shah Rukh & Gauri Khan), Netflix India, others
Next Step: Matter listed for further hearing in late October 2025.