Red Chillies Responds to Sameer Wankhede’s Plea Against The Ba**ds of Bollywood*, Citing Prior Public Scrutiny

Ziya Khan October 31, 2025Last Updated: October 31, 2025

Red Chillies Entertainment has officially responded to Sameer Wankhede’s defamation suit against the Netflix series The Ba**ds of Bollywood*, which the former NCB officer claims was designed to damage his reputation. Wankhede, who led the 2021 drugs case involving Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan, alleged that the show portrayed a character closely resembling him in appearance and behavior.

In its reply, Red Chillies asserted that the series is a Bollywood satire with characters intentionally exaggerated for comedic effect. The production house argued that Wankhede’s complaint amounted to an attempt to restrict artistic and creative freedom, labeling his reaction as “hypersensitivity.”The response highlighted that Wankhede’s image had already faced extensive public scrutiny well before the show’s release.

The filing referenced widespread criticism and ridicule linked to his role in the Aryan Khan case, evident from media coverage, social media discussions, and public commentary at the time. Red Chillies contended that these prior depictions had already impacted his reputation, framing the lawsuit as an effort to silence legitimate satirical expression.

Represented by senior advocates Neeraj Kishan Kaul and Shyel Trehan, the makers requested the court to allow the series to remain unchanged, emphasizing that removing the contested scene would disrupt the narrative flow. They clarified that the show does not explicitly name or directly refer to Wankhede; instead, the police officer character is portrayed as an “overzealous” cop—a common trope in dark comedies and satires.

The matter, heard by Justice Purushindra Kumar on Thursday, has been adjourned to November 10 for further proceedings. The Ba**ds of Bollywood*, streaming on Netflix, has been noted for its sharp satire on celebrity culture, media sensationalism, and the moral complexities of the film industry—raising ongoing debates about the fine line between satire and defamation. Stay tuned to know more about it and others only with us.