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On February 3, 2026, the Delhi High Court granted former IRS officer Sameer Wankhede permission to pursue a defamation lawsuit against the makers of the Netflix series The Bds of Bollywood* in a civil court in Mumbai. Justice Vikas Mahajan ordered that the parties appear before the City Civil & Sessions Court at Dindoshi, Malad, Mumbai, on February 12, when Wankhede is expected to present the plaint.
Why the Lawsuit?
Wankhede alleges that Episode 1 of the series contains a character who closely resembles him, portraying an overzealous government official in a way that “maligns his reputation.” He asserts the portrayal is linked to the 2021 Aryan Khan drugs case and amounts to defamation, damaging his public image. Wankhede sought ₹2 crore in damages, along with a permanent injunction against the content in question.
Wankhede’s counsel argued that the series was not genuine satire but a targeted attack, aimed at settling personal scores by using fiction as a disguise. Earlier, the Delhi High Court had returned his plaint, noting that the court lacked proper territorial jurisdiction, since the parties and the matter were mainly tied to Mumbai.
Response from the Defendants
Red Chillies Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. (owned by Shah Rukh and Gauri Khan) and Netflix have defended the series, stating it is a work of satire and fiction on the Bollywood industry, not meant to defame any specific individual. Their legal team emphasized that satire is a recognized form of creative expression and that a public figure like Wankhede should be expected to face public scrutiny.
Background and Ongoing Dispute
The Bds of Bollywood* premiered on September 18, 2025, on Netflix and marks a directorial venture by Aryan Khan.
Wankhede’s lawsuit also referenced sensitive elements such as a character making an obscene gesture after quoting India’s national motto “Satyamev Jayate,” which the plaintiff claimed could also violate laws related to insult to national honour.
Current Status
Wankhede is now set to file his defamation case properly before the Mumbai court, after the Delhi High Court’s rulings on jurisdiction and process. The legal battle reflects broader tensions between artistic freedom of expression and individual reputation rights under Indian law.
