The legal dispute between the creators of the contentious web series The Bads of Bollywood and IRS officer Sameer Wankhede has become more intense.
As per Hindustan Times, appearing before the Delhi High Court, Wankhede’s lawyer accused the show’s creators of hiding behind disclaimers and the label of satire to escape accountability.
Wankhede, who became a public figure for leading several high-profile anti-drug operations, has filed a Rs 2 crore defamation suit against Red Chillies Entertainment and Netflix, claiming the series damages his personal and professional reputation.
In a notable gesture, he has said that any compensation awarded will be donated to the Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital for the treatment of cancer patients.
“You can’t hide behind satire,” argues Wankhede’s counsel
During the hearing, Wankhede’s counsel accused the show’s makers of taking a “sly approach,” arguing that a mere disclaimer cannot absolve them of responsibility.
“A disclaimer is of no consequence. What matters is how people actually perceive the content,” the lawyer argued, insisting that the series crosses the line of artistic freedom.
The counsel alleged that the show deliberately mocks and maligns Wankhede under the guise of fiction, saying, “The defence of satire is not absolute. You’ve taken potshots at me in my professional capacity. This is vendetta dressed up as storytelling.”
Also Read: The Bads of Bollywood Review: Aryan Khan packs a power-packed masala punch in his directorial debut
The court engaged with these arguments, noting that the case raises important questions about the boundaries of artistic and creative freedom. The hearing will continue on November 17, when Red Chillies Entertainment is expected to present its arguments.
Wankhede has requested that the court order the removal of the allegedly defamatory content from online platforms as part of his interim relief. He contends that the show undermines public confidence in law enforcement by misrepresenting India's anti-drug enforcement organisations.
The officer claims that the project was “deliberately conceptualised and executed” to target him, particularly as the high-profile case involving Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan in which Wankhede played a key investigative role. The case remains pending before the Bombay High Court and the NDPS Special Court in Mumbai.
On October 8, the Delhi High Court issued notices and summons to all defendants, including Red Chillies Entertainment, Netflix, X Corp (formerly Twitter), Google LLC, Meta Platforms, and RPSG Lifestyle Media, giving them seven days to respond.
At a previous hearing, Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav had granted additional time for both sides to file their written submissions before resuming the matter.
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