HC Flags Bias in Aryan Khan’s ‘The Ba***ds of Bollywood’ Amid Wankhede’s Complaint

The Delhi High Court on November 17, 2025, sharply questioned the fairness of Aryan Khan’s directorial debut series, *The Ba**ds of Bollywood*, observing that its satirical portrayal of a narcotics officer appears “biased” because of the real-life history between Aryan and former NCB zonal director Sameer Wankhede. Hearing Wankhede’s defamation suit against Red Chillies Entertainment, Netflix, and the makers, Justice Vikas Mahajan noted that while satire is protected, it cannot be used as a tool for personal vendetta, especially when the creator himself was once investigated by the officer being mocked.

Wankhede, who led the high-profile 2021 Cordelia Cruise drug bust that briefly detained Aryan Khan (all charges were later dropped), alleges that a plainclothes anti-drug crusader character in the series is a deliberate caricature of him, complete with visual and behavioural similarities. He claims the portrayal has triggered online abuse, death threats to his family, and lasting damage to his reputation as an IRS officer. The former NCB official is seeking ₹2 crore in damages and removal of the offending scenes.

Appearing for Red Chillies, senior advocate Rajiv Kaul argued that satire by its very nature can be “unkind and unjust”, citing legendary cartoonist R.K. Laxman’s fearless lampooning of prime ministers. The court, however, distinguished Laxman’s work as impartial public commentary, pointing out that Aryan Khan’s series carries an inherent bias because the filmmaker was directly affected by Wankhede’s 2021 investigation, which later saw the officer himself probed (but not charged) for alleged extortion.

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The bench watched disputed portions of the series in chambers earlier this month and acknowledged the presence of satire but stressed that creative freedom ends where targeted malice begins. It directed Netflix and Red Chillies to file detailed replies by the next hearing while declining an immediate injunction pending those submissions.

Critics have noted that The Ba**ds of Bollywood*, streaming since September 18, 2025, and starring Lakshya, Bobby Deol, and Mona Singh, openly draws inspiration from Bollywood drug scandals. Online audiences quickly identified the officer character with Wankhede, amplifying the controversy and reigniting debate over the 2021 cruise case that had divided public opinion.

The case now poses a significant test for the boundaries of artistic expression in India when creators satirise real events in which they were personally involved, with potential implications for future celebrity-driven content that touches sub-judice or politically sensitive matters.

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